


The language of letters

by SLTventures



Category: Holby City
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-18
Updated: 2018-12-21
Packaged: 2019-02-03 22:42:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 39,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12757638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SLTventures/pseuds/SLTventures
Summary: Who knows when I will update my other ongoing stories, but this idea came to me and now I want to write it! Not sure how many chapters it will be, but it will be longer than my other 'short' stories! Hope you enjoy. Please let me know what you think, thanks x





	1. Chapter 1

Serena heard the thud of the mail landing on her door mat. Popping a slice of hot buttered toast in her mouth, she hurried to the door to see what there was. Not that she got much beyond bills and rejection letters these days, she sighed to herself. On the plus side though the continual stream of junk mail kept her warm on cold days when she lit the fire in her snug.  
As she flicked through the enveloppes, she saw one addressed to a ‘Mr R. Edward’ at an address she didn’t know, but the postcode was the same as hers. In her head she thought ‘why can’t these posties read properly, they must know by now that I live on my own, and have done for years!’ she sighed ruefully, shaking her head.  
She opened the front door and stepped onto the pavement scanning all around hoping to catch the postie as he couldn’t have gone far; but when she looked, she saw a person in Royal Mail uniform already halfway down the street, and out of earshot.  
Absentmindedly taking a bite out of her toast, Serena stopped in her tracks; her jaw slackening, her mouth agog, and butter running down her chin. A pause, then she brought her left hand up to her chin, and caught the butter just before it landed on her new cashmere jumper. She remembered the toast in her mouth and started chewing.  
She was mesmerised by the sight of the postie, this person was not a youthful lad as she had been expecting. No, this person….this person was a striking tall blonde woman, with legs that lead to….she gulped trying not to choke on her toast…. legs that were nicely toned, that belonged to a woman Serena suspected to be of a similar age to herself.  
Despite the cool Autumnal day she was wearing loose shorts, with thick ribbed grey walking socks pulled up over the top of her brown leather walking boots. Serena presumed she had the Royal Mail blue shirt on, but she could only see the red of her uniformed coat, as she strode off down the street.  
Serena hadn’t seen her around here before, she thought, and she definitely would have remembered her if she had, she mused, chuckling to herself, which turned into a coughing fit as she inhaled the toast crumbs with her laughter.  
She dived back into her house, and to the kitchen and had a long drink of cold water from the tap. Her cough subsided and she cleared her throat several times, before putting the kettle on to boil and sitting down at her old oak table to open her mail.  
Serena made a mental note to try to catch that beautiful woman tomorrow when she delivered her mail, and return the wrongly delivered letter to her then.  
That was if indeed she got any mail tomorrow. She was almost tempted to order something online with next day delivery option, so that she definitely got post tomorrow, but then she remembered things ordered online weren’t always delivered by Royal Mail. And it might not even be the same postie tomorrow.  
She sighed. If she didn’t catch whoever delivered her mail, she’d pop the letter back in the post box within the week. She didn’t like to keep things that weren’t addressed to her, even if they had been wrongly delivered.  
A few hours later... “Huh? Wha wassat?” Serena mumbled to herself, shocked out of her post lunch nap. As her eyes adjusted to the light, she realised the sky had turned very dark and it was hammering with rain outside. “Huh, ah one moment” she called. “I’m just coming” she said, as she realised the noise that had woken her was someone ringing her doorbell.  
She opened her door ready to apologise for keeping whoever it was waiting so long, when she saw it was a post woman. Not just any post woman, but THE postie from earlier this morning, stood gloriously right before her, on her door step, and still in those shorts.  
Serena’s brain had turned to mush and she struggled to get any words out. She then realised this poor woman before her was awkwardly sheltered under her porch, holding a letter out to Serena.  
“Good afternoon Ms Campbell, I’m so sorry. I got back to depot after doing my round this morning, and realised I still had a letter for you. I do apologise, I hope it isn’t something you’ve been waiting in for” she smiled nervously.  
“Ah thank you, Ms…?”she paused not knowing what the correct etiquette was for addressing ones postie. “Ah I’m Ms Wolfe, but please, call me Bernie” the postie said. “Bernie, thank you. You didn’t come back especially I hope? It could have waited until tomorrow I’m sure” Serena said. “Oh no no I couldn’t leave it, the boss would string me up” Bernie laughed, adding “besides it’s ok I’m on my way home now, I don’t live far from here”.  
“Oh. Well thank you” she said, taking the letter from Bernie. “Oh and I have a letter here, that’s not for me, I think you delivered it with my other mail this morning? For a Mr Edward? I’ll just get it for you” Serena turned to head to the kitchen, just as Bernie was about to profusely apologise for her error, but say sorry she couldn’t take it now as she was off-duty……when a car sped past on the road outside, covering Bernie with a huge wave of water, instantly turning her pristine uniform into the look of a drowned-rat.  
“Aaghhhh hahhh Oh. My. God. I’m soaked!!!” shouted Bernie, shivering furiously and trying to peel her sodden jacket away from her skin. The shout caused Serena to run back to her front door, only to see this very wet goddess stood dripping on her door step.  
“Oh my word, Bernie! I’m so sorry, come in, come in, I should have asked you into my hallway when I first answered the door! What am I thinking, where’s my manners, in this dreadful weather!” Serena stopped rambling, realising….realising she wasn’t thinking straight at all with this woman before her, here on her doorstep. It was like someone had delivered her a very special package today, only she didn’t know quite why just yet.  
“Here, luh luh let m m m me help you get out of those wet things” Serena stammered, undressing Bernie in her hallway. Bernie tried to protest as she was dripping all over the carpet, but she was bloody cold, and she wanted to get dry. There was no way she was going to get dry walking home in this weather, just yet. Serena looked like a kind woman, and someone she could trust. Bernie didn’t easily trust anyone, but she felt instantly relaxed in Ms Campbell’s company, even if she had only met her five minutes ago.  
Serena hung her long rain mac around Bernie’s shoulders for a moment, having taken off her sopping work jacket, shorts, socks & boots; and rushed to her laundry room to get a freshly washed warm fluffy dark blue big bath towel for her. Bernie still had her underwear on and her work shirt, this was only damp in comparison to what she had removed.  
Serena swopped her mac for the towel, tenderly wrapping Bernie in its warmth. “The downstairs loo is just here” Serena said showed Bernie where it was “you go in and take your shirt off, I’ll wait here for you, then we can warm you up in the snug” she said.  
Bernie smiled gratefully at being given a little bit of privacy to undress further, even though she hadn’t felt unduly uncomfortable so far. “Thanks Ms Campbell” Bernie said, “This is very kind of you”. “Please, call me Serena, and it’s no problem, after all, you’re only here because you are doing your job” Serena said.  
While Bernie changed out of her top, and tried to tame her wet hair; Serena nipped upstairs to find her clean hardly-worn onesie. She wasn’t sure what Bernie would make of it, but it would be easier for her to warm up in than the towel.....

(To be continued in Chapter 2, which I shall post late eve on 22nd Nov)


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I finished chapter 2 a day earlier than I thought, so here it is!

“ Knock Knock” said Serena while knocking on the cloakroom door “I’ve got something a bit cosier than the towel you might want to put on?”  
“Oh ok hang on” Bernie said as she unlocked the door and poked her head out. “It’s a onesie” Serena said, apologetically. “Not the trendiest thing I own but it’s really cosy” she said. Serena passed it to Bernie, motioning for her to pass her her wet shirt to be added to her other clothes to dry in the laundry room. Bernie held the onesie out before her and let out a stonking great laugh as she saw it was patterned black and white like a cow, had hooves on the feet, and ears on the hood.  
“Yeah sorry, it’s the only one I’ve got” Serena blushed. “It was my nephews idea of a joke. He said I can be a right cow sometimes, so when he saw it he thought of me. He’s a bit direct, but he’s right” Serena laughed “I can be a moody cow at times!”  
“Well maybe, but you’re not a moody cow right now, you’re being a lovely woman…and friend. Thank you Serena, it’s fun, I like it, and most importantly it’s cosy.” Bernie said, as Serena felt the colour in her cheeks rise again.  
“There’s not enough room in there though” Bernie said as she stepped out of the cloakroom. “You mentioned your snug? I’ll put it on it there I think thanks”. “Would you show me the way madam?” Bernie winked at her as she said this. Serena thought she would like to show Bernie the way to…..anywhere she wanted to go right now. Especially as Bernie was looking particularly hot with her towel wrapped tightly around her tall slender body, with bra straps showing on her bare shoulders.  
Suddenly getting nervous, Serena showed Bernie into the snug, asked what drink she would like, and then left her to change into the onesie on her own. As much as Serena was very tempted to stay and see Bernie in or out of her underwear, she didn’t want to make Bernie feel awkward. Though somehow she thought Bernie wasn’t feeling awkward either, and that wink she just gave her, what was that all about? Did Bernie like women too? Serena couldn’t believe her luck if that was the case! Serena had loved women all her life, secretly, but of late she was beginning to feel more like she might be a lesbian, than not. Or maybe it was just Bernie that gave her that feeling? She certainly hadn’t been so instantly attracted to a woman until today!  
Serena lingered in the kitchen, wondering how long it would take Bernie to change into the onesie. Serena had never worn it, apart from to give everyone a laugh, when Jason first gave it to her last Christmas. But it had taken her ages then, as she’d had one too many glasses of Shiraz, and kept losing her balance.  
She made herself and Bernie a hot chocolate, including a tot of whisky in each, for good measure.  
Meanwhile Bernie had been quick to discard the towel, as warm and fluffy as it was, she couldn’t be sure it would stay fastened around her. She didn’t want to give Serena a heart attack so she perched on the front of the sofa and got into the onesie, then sat back and snuggled into the sumptuous cushions to get warm.  
As it was she wondered how Serena would react when she told her she had been wanting to meet her for a long time, and it had taken her all month once she realised Serena lived here, to pluck up courage to ring her bell.  
She genuinely hadn’t seen the letter earlier, so she thought this was a good sign, and possibly a sign that now was the time for her to be courageous and introduce herself.  
By the time Serena came in with their drinks, Bernie had changed position about six times, trying to work out how to sit on the sofa, so that it didn’t look like she was too comfy and settled, but neither too edgy ready to flee. Finally she had chosen to sit back with her right arm stretched out on the sofa arm, and her legs tucked up beneath her.  
Serena handed Bernie her drink, “Thank you Serena. Ah that’s lovely and warm” she said as she wrapped her long slender fingers around the whole of the mug. “And thanks, this onesie is very cosy….as is your sofa. Where did you get it from? I’d love one like this, mine is so hard”.  
“Oh er er I’m not sure now, I’ve had it for years and years, it used to be in my lounge but then I got a new one in there, so this one came in the snug. It is cosy isn’t it, I love coming in here to curl up on here” she said sitting next to Bernie “I light the fire, and I read a novel in a day. It’s bliss” she said. Serena felt herself blush as she caught Bernie’s eye, and they locked eyes for a moment, both smiling.  
Serena cleared her throat “Er sorry, I should light the fire now too, I knew there was something else I meant to do before I sat down. All that junk mail that you and your colleagues deliver, comes in very handy for warming me up!”  
“Ah ha ha hah! So we lug it around and you just burn it all?!” Bernie said, then tilted her head sideways, saying “still I guess it keeps me fit, so thank you for that!” she laughed, as Serena looked embarrassed. “Oh I’m sorry, I’m only teasing Serena, I’m the same. Well if I had a fireplace I would be, I just put mine in the recycling box for the council to take away again each week. Bloody farce really, but hey, it’s part of the job.” She paused, thinking “The odd flyer has something interesting on it though, so it’s not a complete waste of time I suppose” she mused.  
“But don’t let your drink get cold Serena. Please sit with me and chat first”. “Okay” Serena said “But if you don’t warm up soon, then I’m lighting the fire, yes?” “Yes yes okay Serena, thank you.”  
There was a pause, as they both took a mouthful of their drinks, and furiously thought what to say next.  
“So…. have you opened your letter yet?” Bernie asked. “I do hope it wasn’t important, Serena, I’m so sorry for delivering it so late in the day, I just didn’t see it earlier. And I’m sorry for delivering you a letter for someone else instead. My only excuse, and it’s a poor one, is that I have a few days off now, so I was excited to finish my shift today. But that’s no excuse to let my standards slip, I do apologise Ms Campbell”. “Call me Serena, please”. “Yes yes sorry, Serena, sorry”. Bernie trailed off, realising she was rambling, but she was nervous again now that she was sat so close to Ms Serena Campbell.  
‘Serena Campbell, best selling author of the year with her debut novel, that came out five years ago.’ Bernie announced in her head. It had been the best book she had read that year, she almost joined the local book group just so that she could talk at length about it to other people. But she wasn’t big on group things, unless it was with people she knew well. So instead she had read the book a second time, so it was etched in her memory.  
Serena was confused why Bernie was apologising so profusely over something so trivial. It was only a couple of letters, she didn’t mind about the wrongly delivered one. How could she mind, it had brought Bernie to her attention, and she had this gorgeous blonde woman, sat next to her, on her sofa, in her snug, wearing her onesie. Serena couldn’t believe her good luck quite frankly. As for the late delivered letter, the posties around here, were forever delivering post late in the day, she’d given up getting cross about it, she knew they were only doing their job, as best they could.  
“Bernie” Serena said, reaching over to pat Bernie’s knee. “Please, don’t worry. It’s fine, no harm done. I’ll just pop the letter for Mr Edward back in the post box later…..if the rain ever stops, that is” she said glancing at the ceiling, where they could hear the rain dropping heavily still. “Which reminds me, didn’t you have an umbrella with you or anything to keep you dry? Don’t the Royal Mail supply you with waterproofs?”  
“Yes they do, Serena. But I left mine at home this morning as it looked such a lovely Autumn day. I love to wear my shorts for as long as possible throughout the year, and I get hot wearing the waterproof jacket, I prefer the red fleece, just to keep the chill off”. Bernie looked at Serena, and smirked when she found Serena was looking longingly at her legs!  
It was the mention of ‘shorts’ that had distracted Serena, again, and she wished her onesie wasn’t quite so good at hiding the delights that lay beneath them.  
Bernie coughed. Serena looked up sheepishly, and cleared her throat. Bernie gave her the warmest smile, and Serena couldn’t help but grin inanely back at her. Serena knew she’d been caught looking…but she didn’t care!  
“So, that other letter?” Bernie queried. “Are you going to open it? I wouldn’t want you to get too distracted now I’m here, that you forget about it. It might be important.” Bernie said, looking expectantly at Serena.  
Serena still couldn’t work out why Bernie was so eager for her to open the letter, but she obliged and fished it out of her pocket to open.  
Bernie had noticed the company stamp on the reverse of the envelope, and thought it looked like a publishers stamp. She knew having done lots of research about Serena, that although Serena had been self-publishing her books since some fall out with her previous publisher, there was talk that she was finding that hard work, and had been keen to find a reputable publisher again, who could advertise more widely for her, and hopefully regain her that ‘bestselling author’ title again.  
Serena slid her thumb along the envelope edge, taking care not to rip the letter inside. She cast the envelope to the floor and carefully unfolded the A4 sized letter to read it.  
Bernie sat quietly sipping her drink, watching as Serena cast her eyes over the page. Serena gasped a few times. Bernie was keen to know why, but waited until Serena had read it all and looked up at her again. Serena was smiling so much she thought her jaw might stick like that.  
“What? What does it say?” Bernie asked excitedly. “Sorry, sorry, it’s none of my business what it says, ignore me”. Serena paused a moment, and then leaned over and kissed Bernie full on the lips.

(To be continued in chapter 3 – which I’ll upload by the end of this week!)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Slightly shorter chapter, but chapter 4 will be posted soon!

Bernie couldn’t believe what was happening. This was her dream come true! An author she loved, who she’d suspected might be gay but she’d never found anything to confirm that, had just kissed her!  
‘Mm’ Bernie thought, licking her lips and savouring the taste of Serena’s soft lips, that had just met with hers.  
She was so lost in the moment, with her eyes shut tight, it was a moment before she realised that Serena had sprung up from the sofa and left the room.  
“What the…where…?” Bernie uttered, opening her eyes, confused, and suddenly sad. “Serena!” Bernie called. “It’s okay. You didn’t do anything wrong!” Just as she got up to see where Serena had gone, Serena rushed back into the snug, holding a pile of junk mail and some firelighters.  
Serena turned her back to Bernie and started to lay the fire. She couldn’t look her in the face. “Bernie, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. I don’t know what I was thinking. I was just so excited about the good news in that letter, and you were here….and….and….I was caught up in the moment. I’m so sorry I don’t go around kissing all the people who deliver my mail” Serena continued to kneel in front of the fireplace, not daring to look at Bernie.  
“Serena” Bernie said, touching Serena on her right shoulder. “Serena please, please look at me. It’s fine, really. In fact it’s more than fine! Please, leave the fire a moment and let’s sit on the sofa again”.  
Bernie put her hand on Serena’s arm to turn her around, and said “Please just for a moment so we can chat”. Serena cast her a quick glance, and thought it safe enough to sit by her again, she seemed to mean what she was saying.  
“I never expected that to happen so soon, if at all, but….but….I’m not offended. It was lovely” Bernie said, smiling shyly from under her fringe at Serena. “Thank you” Bernie said, smirking, and feeling a little braver.  
“Really? It…it was okay Bernie? Me pouncing on you when you just came in to dry off?” Serena queried.  
“Well you’re a little braver than me, Serena, I wouldn’t have had the courage to kiss you, quite so soon after meeting you, generally. But really, I can’t stress it enough, it’s fine.” Bernie paused.  
“In fact it’s more than fine Serena, I’ve …..well….er….I’ve been attracted to you for years, if truth be told” Bernie said sheepishly.  
“For years?...But how?.....What?...I don’t understand” said Serena, looking puzzled.  
“Well you were best selling author of 2012 for your debut novel weren’t you?” Bernie asked, smiling at her.  
“Well yes I was…..but I never thought…..I’ve never met anyone who’s….have you read it??” Serena said. “Have I read it?!....Yes!” Bernie said, almost shouting. “It was so very good I read it twice, and I still look at it now and again, I treasure my signed copy. It’s….it’s very precious to me” Bernie said almost bashfully.  
“Bernie, oh, oh that’s so lovely to hear. Thank you” Serena said earnestly. She took Bernie’s hand in hers and absentmindedly caressed Bernie’s fingers as she spoke again. “Thank you Bernie. Does that mean I have a fan?” she asked, wonderously.  
“I’m sure you have many fans Serena. But yes I am most definitely a fan of yours. For your books and for….for….”  
“For me?” Serena asked, tentatively.  
“Yes for you Serena” Bernie smiled beneath that wonderful fringe of hers again.  
“I’ve read all of yours books since your debut five years ago, and I’ve followed things you do, any news snippets I read about you……I’m sorry….oh I sound like a stalker, I’m so sorry Serena, I didn’t mean it to sound like that! I just have a great deal of genuine admiration for you” she said sheepishly.  
“Hang on, you said you had a signed book of mine?” said Serena “but we haven’t met before have we? I mean, I am sure I would have remembered if you had come to one of my book signings, even if it was five years ago….” Serena said, smiling.  
“No, we haven’t met until today Serena, you’re right. I ordered a signed copy from the local book shop. I always wanted to come to a book signing, but I was either working or I couldn’t pluck up the courage to come along. I think…I always thought I would prefer to meet you 1-2-1 so we could have a proper chat. I didn’t want to share you with everyone else either really….” Bernie said, tailing off, feeling embarrassed she was bearing her soul to Serena, when they had only met less than half an hour ago! She couldn’t believe how fast things were moving.  
“Oh Bernie.” Serena said, bringing Bernie’s hand to her lips and gently kissing it. “Well you’re here now, in my house, on my sofa, in my onesie, and do you know what? I can’t believe my good luck! I would dearly love to kiss your lips again right now, but I feel perhaps getting to know each other by chatting might be better, for a few hours at least….!” Serena said, and then winked at Bernie.  
“It’s just as well that onesie is extra long in the leg, I don’t know what my nephew was thinking when he got me it in that size, it’s no wonder I kept falling over when I tried it on last Christmas to give everyone a laugh!” Serena said. “But I must say it suits you very well….it fits you nicely…..Bernie….” Serena tailed off clearing her throat.  
“ Right let me light this fire, then we can chat” Serena said. “Let’s get you cosy warm Bernie, though that tot of whisky should be helping? Sorry I hope you didn’t mind me putting it in your hot chocolate? You do drink alcohol…..? We’ll get along famously if you do, there’s nothing like putting the world to rights over a bottle or two of Shiraz between good friends” Serena said patting Bernie’s knee as she slid off the sofa, to tend to the fire.  
Bernie sat back, she felt Serena’s questions were mostly rhetorical so she just nodded and smiled in agreement. She noted to never complain about it pouring with rain ever again, as you never knew what good luck it could bring you. If it existed, fate was certainly on her side today, and she was looking forward ever more now to the start of her time off.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the delay and shortness of this chapter. Hope to write & upload the next chapter a bit sooner, and make a bit more happen!

Bernie stirred slightly as Serena lay a blanket over her torso. Serena paused, but Bernie didn’t waken, so she gently sat next to her again on the sofa, and tucked herself under the other end of the blanket. The fire was beginning to flourish in the grate and Serena sat watching the flames dance in every shade of orange and yellow possible. A fire guard was placed in front, to avoid any sparks flying onto the rug.  
She had been busy sorting the fire out when she realised Bernie was very quiet. Thinking she was drinking the rest of her hot chocolate, Serena had turned to look at her, only to find that Bernie had fallen asleep, her drink mug stood empty on the floor at the sofa foot.   
Serena had watched her for a moment, seeing the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. Serena thought Bernie looked so peaceful, and then she felt sorry for her. Bernie must have been worn out from all that walking she did on her round, and with the early start to her shift as well. Serena was thankful she was now able to work from home. It was hard work, but not having to go elsewhere to do her job, or have anyone lording over her, it made for a much more relaxing life, she thought gratefully.  
…..20 mins later…”Huh?” Bernie muttered, feeling something hard touch her left shoulder. She opened her eyes, and was surprised to see that Serena was asleep with her head dropped on her shoulder. “Oh!” Bernie gasped. At first she was very still not daring to move, but then given how relaxed she felt, and Serena obviously felt too, Bernie moved her left arm to place it behind Serena’s shoulders, enveloping her in a warm hug.   
Bernie thought Serena was stirring, but Serena simply licked her lips and made a contented noise, then was quiet again, except for a very gentle sound as she breathed, which was a cross between a snore and a snuffle.

Bernie stole a glance at her watch and saw that she had only been at Serena’s an hour, but it felt much longer than that. She was in no hurry to get home this afternoon, so Bernie decided she would wait until Serena had had enough of her company, before she made a move to leave. And anyway, she thought to herself, it was still hammering with rain outside, and she had only just managed to warm up, so Bernie closed her eyes again, cuddled into Serena and drifted off to sleep again.

Another hour had passed by, when Bernie stirred slightly, not yet opening her eyes but faintly aware that someone else had come into Serena’s house. She wondered who it could be, and wasn’t sure she wanted to find out, but …’ow!’ she said suddenly, opening her eyes wide. “Wha…who are you?!” Bernie asked, at the tall young man she found staring down at her and Serena. “Ha ha ha you’re wearing the onesie I gave Auntie Serena last Christmas, I wondered if she still had it, I doubt she’s ever worn it though. Still, it suits you better than it did her!” the tall young man said.  
“Sorry for pinching your toe, but I wondered how much of your foot was in the hoof! Auntie Serena said I was rude for calling her a moody cow, when I gave her the onesie, but it shouldn’t be wrong for telling the truth should it?” he continued.

“Ah ha ha so you’re the nephew Serena was telling me about earlier” said Bernie. “She said you were a bit…a…a…bit…”  
“Direct?” the young man, offered. “Pleased to meet you” he said offering his hand to shake Bernie’s, “I’m Serena’s nephew Jason. And you are ??...Why are you wearing Auntie Serena’s onesie? Where are your clothes?

“Well hi Jason, I’m Bernie, I’m….”  
“Oh I recognise you now” Jason, interrupted. “You work for the Royal Mail don’t you? I’ve seen you doing your round. I know how long it takes all the postmen and women to deliver to this street, I’ve timed you all. I’ve got a very precise stop-watch” he said proudly.

“Oh oh right” Bernie said “Do you live with your Auntie then? I’ve never seen any mail for you at this address?”  
“No, I just come here for my tea, once a week. I have my own key” he said, holding it aloft for Bernie to see. “I live with my PA Alan, a few streets away, but I am out early in a morning, and I come for a walk this way….that’s when I stop and time you all” he said, as though it was not an unusual thing to do.  
Bernie was slightly intrigued at how long she actually took to do her deliveries, but didn’t want to ask Jason about it right now. She didn’t want to think about work at all really, given that she now had a week off.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to stop saying I'll post the next chapter by so and so, as life gets in the way! But thank you for enjoying it all so far, and I will continue with it as and when I can! I love the comments and kudos though, so please continue with those, thanks x

Bernie was amazed that Serena hadn’t stirred whilst she and Jason had been talking, she was still peacefully snuggled into Bernie’s chest. A place where Bernie was rather enjoying having Serena lying so closely. She didn’t want to risk waking her just yet, she mused to herself.  
“So you were about to say – why are you in Auntie Serena’s onesie? Where are your clothes??!” Jason asked, looking incredulously at Bernie.  
“Well..” started Bernie in hushed tones. “It’s okay you can carry on speaking at a normal level, you won’t wake Auntie Serena, she needs an alarm right by her ear before she even stirs! I know, I have to do that to waken her….it must be an age thing” Jason said “she seems to sleep in the day a lot just lately”.  
“Ah ha ha!” laughed Bernie. “What have I said wrong?” asked Jason “I’m just telling the truth” he stated. “Ah ha ha ha” Bernie laughed again. “It’s okay Jason, I’m just laughing because that sounds a lot like what I do….sleep in the afternoon that is….except I’m woken up more easily….your Auntie and I must be a similar age I think” Bernie mused. “Must you?” asked Jason. “Why must you be the same? You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to you know” he said.  
“Ah, yes I see what you mean Jason, no, no you’re right there, it’s just a turn of phrase, I meant that I think I am a similar age to your Auntie as I fall asleep a lot in the day, and people say as one gets older, that can happen” said Bernie.  
“Ah. Okay. Auntie Serena talks about these ‘turn of phrases’ a lot too. When she’s trying to explain to me what she is talking about. I don’t know why people can’t just say the words they mean, English is a very confusing language!” Jason said, then sighed.  
Bernie nodded, to show she sympathised.  
“Well…” began Bernie again, gesturing for Jason to sit down on the armchair.  
“Well the reason I am in your Auntie Serena’s onesie is because….” And she regaled the story to Jason, about how she had come to be there, dressed like this. Jason asked why Bernie wasn’t wearing waterproofs in the rain, and Bernie agreed with him, when he said her reason was silly, everyone knew that when it rained you put waterproofs on, else you would get wet!  
She assured him she would carry them with her more, especially now the winter months were approaching. “How come you’re not wet Jason?!” Bernie asked. “Has it finally stopped raining out there?” she asked, feeling sad that she might now have to go home.  
“It’s not raining as hard as it was earlier, but I had my waterproofs on and my umbrella up over my head. Like, sensible people do!” he said. “Ah ha ha” laughed Bernie “yes you’re right there Jason”.  
“I know I usually am right about most things” he said. “I find it really annoys Auntie Serena” Jason said. “I don’t know why though” he said, looking wistfully, and without an ounce of sarcasm.  
“I put my waterproofs and umbrella in Auntie Serena’s laundry room to drip dry, or she will say she’ll ‘have my guts for garters’ if I leave them to form a puddle on the hallway carpet!” Jason said. “I did do that once….never again though….Auntie Serena is scary when she is angry!”. “I don’t understand why she would want my guts though, she doesn’t even wear stockings. She does say some odd things sometimes.”  
Bernie drifted off in a daydream for a moment, imagining Serena wearing stockings….imagining herself running her fingers over the stockings, and then pinging the elastic fasteners at the top of each leg….  
“Bernie? Did you hear what I said?” asked Jason.  
“Mm? er hmm” Bernie muttered, clearing her throat. “Sorry Jason, no I didn’t quite catch that, no, what did you say?”  
“I said, I did see some wet clothes in the laundry room, but I thought Auntie Serena had washed her old uniform, she said she was going to give her things to the local charity shop, now that she is a successful writer. I guess they are in fact your clothes Bernie? And Auntie Serena is still procrastinating over getting rid of things she no longer needs!” Jason said, matter of factly.  
“Ah yes that’s right, they are indeed my clothes in there” Bernie said quickly, before her mind wandering off on another daydream at the mention of a ‘uniform’ …mmm….she was imagining all sorts of uniforms she would like to see Serena in! She couldn’t think what uniform Jason might be talking of though, Bernie hadn’t seen any mention of a job that required a uniform in Serena’s past CV. She made a mental note to casually ask Serena about it later hopefully.  
“So, Jason you said you come here once a week for your dinner? Is that tonight?” Bernie asked, hoping the answer was ‘no’, even though she was enjoying chatting with Jason. It was a breath of fresh air chatting to someone who was so honest, and never intentionally hurt anyone’s feelings. The world was a confusing place when your brain was wired to take everything said, literally, she realised. She always had thought the English language was confusing, with all its phrases, that sounded like one meaning, but had another completely irrelevant to what was being said!  
“Usually I would only come over on the night I’m having dinner with Auntie Serena, but she always tells me if I need to make a change to our arrangements, to come over in person, rather than texting her.” Jason said.  
“Do you always let yourself in, even if Serena is not expecting you?” queried Bernie.  
“Ah. Yes. Auntie Serena keeps telling me to ring the bell if I haven’t told her I am coming over, but why did she give me a key if she didn’t want me to let myself in? It saves her having to get up if I let myself in, and she is getting old now, so she needs all the rest she can get” Jason said.  
“Ha ha ha hah” laughed Bernie. She admitted to herself there was some logic to his reasoning.  
“So tonight isn’t your night for dinner here then?” Bernie asked. “No, that’s tomorrow night. I came over to ask Auntie Serena if it would be okay to bring a guest over to dinner too? It’s my friend Frankie, she wants to meet me for dinner tomorrow night, but I can’t let Auntie Serena down, she always says she loves our weekly dinners, as she doesn’t have many close local friends to invite over for dinner.” Jason said.  
“But I don’t want to disturb her as I know she needs her beauty sleep, as she calls it” Jason said. “I don’t think she’ll mind. Could you ask her about it when she wakes up please Bernie? Just tell her to text me if it’s okay. I don’t need to speak to her on the phone, not now that I have come over, and spoken to you in person.” he said. “We’ll come over at my usual time, and Frankie will eat anything so she doesn’t have to worry about cooking something different to what was planned” he said.  
“Righto, will do Jason. Leave it with me. I will ask her as soon as she wakes up.” Bernie said.  
“Thank you Bernie. I will be off now if you will be okay left with Auntie Serena on your own? Don’t wake her up until she wakes herself up, she will be really grumpy if you do that!” Jason said.  
“Ah ha ha, thanks for the warning Jason, I’ll bear that in mind. No, it’s okay I think I will be alright left on my own with her. There isn’t anyone else she knows that has a key is there? I don’t want any more surprise visitors, that’s all, ha ha….sorry…..I’ve enjoyed chatting with you Jason, so I’m not sorry about your surprise entrance, but just so I know, you know, we all have to be safety conscious these days….” Bernie trailed off, as Jason was already moving to get his things out of the laundry room.  
“No it’s okay Bernie, only Auntie Serena and I have a key to her house. I’ll see if your clothes are dry while I’m in here” Jason called, as he’d reached the laundry room.  
Bernie hoped they were still damp, but looked up expectantly as Jason came back into the lounge, with his waterproofs on. His gear was still a bit wet, but at least they had only left a puddle on the laundry room lino floor and not on Serena’s hallway carpet. “Your clothes are almost dry, but your boots are still rather soggy inside” he said.  
“Ah okay, thanks Jason, I’ll let them dry off a bit longer then thank you”…..“It’s been lovely chatting to you Jason.” Bernie said, holding her hand out to shake Jason’s again. “The next time I’m delivering the mail I’ll keep an eye out for you and say hello”.  
“Oh I think I might see you sooner than that” he said. “Really? How?” she queried, squinting her eyes, and puzzled as to what Jason could mean.  
“I think Auntie Serena might be inviting you over a bit more after today!” he said, smiling at her.  
“But…but….I only met her today…this…this…is just Serena being a very kind lady after I got soaked delivering her mail….as soon as my clothes are dry I will be off home….I don’t want Serena to think I’m being a bother….I’m sure she’s a very busy woman….” Bernie stuttered.  
“Not that busy these days, she tells me” Jason said. “Why do you think she sleeps so much in the day! She needs someone like you to keep her company, and keep her awake in the daytime!!” he said laughing.  
“I like you. I’d like to talk more about your army background sometime if you wouldn’t mind?” he asked.  
“How….how…do you know about that?” Bernie asked curiously. “My friend has done a website all about the people who work for the Royal Mail locally. It’s amazing what the internet can tell you about people, that they don’t know they’ve shared publicly” he said. “Sorry that sounds a bit odd, he and I are just interested in what brings people to be doing your job.” he said.  
Bernie knew only too well what the internet could tell you. After all she had done every search she could think of to find out all she had about Ms Serena Campbell. She’d never given a thought, that someone else could be searching to find all they could about her and her colleagues as well.  
“Oh I will have to look that up. See if he has his facts straight about me. No, that’s fine, I would like to share my stories of the army. Maybe we could meet up a the new coffee shop in the High Street sometime?” Bernie said. “Oh. Oh I don’t like coffee” said Jason. “That’s ok, they do tea and hot chocolate and other drinks too” she said. “Oh that’s ok then, that would be lovely. You can ask Auntie Serena for my mobile number, and then text me. Thanks.” said Jason.  
“I’ve got to go now, Alan will be wondering where I have got to. See you soon” Jason said, gesturing that Bernie didn’t need to get up, as he let himself out.  
As Jason opened the front door, a gust of wind pushed it open wide and he struggled to hold it to shut it behind him. Bernie heard him grappling with the door, but before she could work out how to extricate herself from Serena…’BANG’ went the door as he’d managed to shut it, and left.  
“Wha…what wassat?!” Serena cried out, waking on hearing the door bang. “Oh. Bernie. I’m so sorry have I fallen asleep on you?” she said. “Yes you did Serena, but it’s okay, I’m sorry I fell asleep first”  
“What was that noise?” Serena asked. “It was your front door banging shut, the rain has eased off but the wind has got up. Your nephew Jason was just here, he let himself in while we were both asleep” Bernie said, smirking.  
“Oh I wish he would ring the bell, I wasn’t expecting him” Serena said, sighing. “Yes he said that, and that he keeps forgetting to. He said it saves you getting up, if he lets himself in with the key you gave him” Bernie said, adding “He said ‘since you’re getting old you need all the beauty sleep you can get’ ha ha ha….huuh hmm sorry, that’s just what Jason said, I’m not agreeing with him” Bernie said, teasing Serena.  
“Hmm, I think we might be of a similar age Bernie, so pot kettle black and all that?” Serena said raising her eyebrow at her, and smiling to show she wasn’t offended.  
“So what did Jason come to ask me? He’s not due for dinner until tomorrow night? Why didn’t either of you wake me?” Serena asked.  
“Well for the last question, I refer to you my previous statement” said Bernie, smirking again.  
“As for what Jason came over for, he said could I ask you if it’s okay if he brings his friend Frankie for dinner as well? He said she will eat anything so you don’t need to change the menu. He thought it would be ok, but said could you text him to confirm?” Bernie relayed to her.  
“Oh did he now” Serena said, sighing. “Well it would be nice to meet his new friend, he has talked about this Frankie a lot lately. I’ll just get my mobile and text him that’s ok” she said, reluctantly removing herself from Bernie’s embrace, and sliding off the sofa. “I think I left my phone on the kitchen table, one moment” she called, as she was already on her way there.  
Bernie suddenly missed the warmth that had been by her side, but before she could miss Serena too much she was back in the snug with her. Serena was grinning from ear to ear, reading a text on her phone.  
“What? What are you smiling about” Bernie queried?  
“It’s Jason, he’s already texted me” Serena said. “He’s said, what I was just thinking” she mused.  
“And what were you just thinking?” Bernie asked.  
“Would you like to join us for dinner tomorrow evening?” Serena asked nervously, even though she didn’t think Bernie would refuse, it wasn’t like Serena to be this forward so soon after meeting someone. But then she didn’t think she had met anyone quite like Bernie before. And she had kissed her already so what was there to be nervous about…..


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just (11/1) slightly changed the last couple of paragraphs as I realised I made a continuity error!

“YES!” said Bernie, almost shouting again. Then slightly quieter, she said “Yes, sorry I’d love to come to dinner with you all tomorrow. Oh. But. Oh…” she tailed off, unsure how to say what she wanted to say.  
“Oh. What?” said Serena, slightly crestfallen. “If you already have other plans…don’t worry….it is rather short notice…but then I didn’t know you before today…um…don’t worry, forget I asked…sorry....” this time Serena tailed off, she didn’t know what else to say.  
“No, no Serena, it’s not that at all” Bernie said, leaning forward to take Serena’s hands in hers.  
“I haven’t got any other plans tomorrow night. In fact I haven’t got any plans at all for my week off now, I was going to go away with a friend, but then she got a better offer, so……so….it looks like I’ve got a week of R&R at home instead!” - “I hesitated because….because…I was going to ask if you were doing anything tonight? And if not….whether…whether you wanted to grab a bite to eat somewhere? To let me repay you for your hospitality this afternoon…and drying my clothes…and everything…” Bernie finally paused, and looked hopefully at Serena.  
“Well I don’t know about going out tonight” Serena said, dropping Bernie’s hands, and sitting back next to her on the sofa. It was Bernie’s turn to look crestfallen.  
“The weather’s turned bloody awful from what it was this morning, why don’t we just eat in? I can rustle up something from what food I’ve got in the kitchen?” Serena propositioned. “Besides which, that way you don’t have to get dressed in possibly still-damp clothes! Plus ….if we don’t have to drive anywhere we can open a good bottle of Shiraz, and start getting to know each other better…” Serena looked shyly across at Bernie, and then cleared her throat, before saying “After all we said we were going to chat earlier when I lit the fire, but then we both fell asleep!”  
“Unless you have to go home for anything before dinner? It’s getting on for five o clock now we could start prepping something? What food do you like?” Serena asked.  
“No no I don’t need to get anything from home” Bernie said. “Besides, I don’t think I’d look very good walking home in your onesie and part of my uniform! I might even get disciplined for mis-representing the uniform in a proper way, or some such politically correct ruling that I’m not yet aware of! Someone is bound to recognise me and shop me!” Bernie said, chuckling.  
“As for what food do I like? Pretty much anything goes really, except nothing too spicy” Bernie said, subconsciously licking her lips, “I’ve had unexpectedly spicy hot food at restaurants before now! Boy did that leave my lips tingling for hours after I’d eaten it! It wasn’t pleasant at all!” she said, grimacing. Bernie looked at Serena, expecting some reply, but Serena was lost in thought.. It was Bernie’s mention of her ‘uniform’ and ‘being disciplined’ that had set Serena’s mind wandering…..that and her mention of ‘tingling lips’ and ‘hot and spicy’ things….phew…it’d got Serena a little hot under the collar. She was getting rather turned on and desperate to see what Bernie had on under the onesie? Serena presumed she still had her underwear on as she hadn’t given her that to dry off in the laundry room….but oh…what might her lingerie look like…lacy?...red?...black??...soft?...or underwired bra?... “Serena?” Bernie probed. There was no response from Serena. ”Sereennah?” she said a bit louder. “Huh? Sorry Bernie, you said something about you like things hot and spicy? I was lost in thought there!” Serena said blushing furiously. “Yes, yes you were a bit” laughed Bernie. “But actually no, what I said was, I don’t like anything too hot and spicy……..well not food wise anyway” she said, giving Serena a wink, and pouting her lips to blow her a kiss! “Oh. Right, I see…..well that’s good to know for…for…” Serena trailed off. “Later?” Bernie offered, smiling warmly. Serena cleared her throat, then said “Yes…that’s good to know for later…yeah”. She coughed, and cleared her throat again.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally some more from me!

Before Serena had chance to utter anything else, Bernie’s stomach grumbled loudly, making them both chuckle.  
“Right, let’s be having you!” Serena commanded, jumping up and grabbing Bernie’s hands and pulling her off the sofa too. Bernie raised her eyebrow in response? “Nope, not like that Bernie! Ha ha ha, well…not yet anyway…you clearly need something inside you…..some food inside you…have you had anything to eat today?” Serena said with mock sternness.  
“Umm…well…I had breakfast but that was hours ago. I usually have something to eat as soon as I get home at the end of my shift, but today I stopped off here….and so….nope I’ve not had anything since breakfast Ms Campbell!” Bernie said, standing up straight, and with a big smile on her face, saluted her.  
“Oh look at you Miss Army girl now are we?” Serena asked with a twinkle in her eye.  
“I was in the army before I became a Postie, yes, your nephew seems to know all about me and wants to talk to me about my army career!” Bernie said, half laughing when she saw Serena’s frown. “It’s okay, I don’t mind at all, I didn’t think I’d told many people about it but it seems Jason has found out a lot about me and my postie colleagues, his friend’s got a website on us!” Bernie said, almost proudly.   
“Oh he has has he? I don’t know what Jason gets mixed up with sometimes!....He does forget that some things are private and it’s rude to ask them about things, when you don’t know someone well” Serena said, apologetically.   
“It’s okay Serena, really, I mean it” Bernie said, putting her hand on Serena’s arm to reassure her. “It’s not that private a thing about me, I just don’t go around telling everyone, but clearly he has read it somewhere online, so that’s fine. I’m happy to talk to him about my life in the army. I loved it, but that another lifetime ago now. …What boy doesn’t like hearing about being a soldier anyway”.  
Serena sighed. “Okay well if you’re sure Bernie” she said. “I like it that he likes you, too”.  
“I am okay, don’t worry, after all I found out a lot about you from the internet too! So there’s lots out there in cyber land about all of us I’m sure.” Bernie said, as Serena looked a little alarmed. “Not everyone that looks things up about people, is doing it to do harm them Serena, I wouldn’t worry about it. I did it because…..because I wanted to get to know you…..and it seemed like the easiest way…until I was able to meet you in person anyway” said Bernie.  
“Wait, so did you….have you….did you look up where I lived Bernie?!” Serena looked worried.  
“No! Of course not, I would never…..I didn’t….no” said Bernie, trying not to cry. She didn’t like confrontations at the best of times. How could Serena think that she’d been stalking her?? She hadn’t, she really hadn’t, had she? she asked herself.   
Bernie took Serena’s hands in hers, as they stood facing each other still, just off the sofa.   
“Please, Serena, no I would never do that. I haven’t done that. I….I…know this is all moving rather faster than either of us would ever have imagined, but I…I have loved you from afar for so long. And…and I am so glad I am here with you now, and I have loved all that has happened in the few short hours since we first met today…and…and…I want to stay for dinner tonight…and chat and get to know you properly….and come back tomorrow and chat to Jason….and meet his friend Frankie….and….and …be here for you.” Bernie just about managed to croak all this out, as her tears were starting to spill.  
“Hey come on, there’s no need to cry” Serena said softly, as she wiped Bernie’s tears over her cheeks. “I’m sorry if I spoke out of turn, I just want you to be honest with me” Serena said, lifting Bernie’s chin, so she looked her in the eyes.  
“I’m sorry Serena, I…I…am not good at talking about things usually….but there’s something about you that makes me want bear my feelings…and I..I…would never ever lie to you, I promise” Bernie said, then cleared her throat a few times.  
Serena waited patiently for Bernie to speak.  
“I promise you I didn’t look up where you lived. I haven’t long been a postie around here, I used to work in the east end of Holby. That’s where I was working when I first read your debut novel, and the newspaper reviews said you were a local novelist but not exactly where you lived obviously. A chance to change rounds came up, and the flat I was renting wasn’t great, so I took the plunge and moved to the west end of Holby. I found a lovely house-share, we’re all professionals so it’s not as bad as it sounds, it’s not like being in digs as a student!” Bernie said, smiling at Serena who reciprocated the smile, remembering to herself her days as an English Literature student, and living in shared digs.  
“It was not long after I started my round here, and I was shadowing one of my colleagues who’s walked these streets for years…as a postie I mean….and he was giving me lowdown on who lived where….well on what he thought he knew about who lived where….some people he knew by their first name and chatted to them daily….other people he made up stories in his head about what he knew, given their name, and what things got delivered to them, what companies sent parcels etc that sort of thing” Bernie paused to draw breath, while trying to gauge what Serena’s response to all this was. “And he had a few letters to deliver to you. He’d said ‘and these are for Ms S Campbell, she lives at 52 Wharf End. She’s a smart lady, dresses well, likes wearing cashmere jumpers, so she must have a good job, whatever that might be, she seems to work from home’. I said he seemed to know a lot about you, and he just laughed and said he was a keen observer that’s all! Well, with his description of you, well not even that, the minute he mentioned your name, that set my mind wondering since the papers had said you lived in Holby. Then when he said you work from home, I thought it must be Ms Campbell best selling novelist, but….but I didn’t want to just turn up on your doorstep to see, or hang around outside to see if you came out of the house, to match you up with your photo on your book cover! That would be stalking, and I’m not like that. I was soon working on my own and delivering your mail and those of your neighbours, but I didn’t linger long outside yours, and nothing had ever required me to ring your bell before now” Bernie said, looking a little sheepishly at Serena from beneath her fringe.  
Taking the chance to butt in while Bernie drew breath, Serena said “I admit I hadn’t seen you until this morning, but you’re right you don’t linger for long, when I realised you’d delivered that letter for Mr Edward this morning, I was quick to open my door and shout to you, but you were long gone….striding away down the street….” Serena tailed off, remembering the lovely vision that had greeted her, watching Bernie striding off back down the street earlier this morning.  
“Yes, sorry” said Bernie. “But when I realised I still had a letter for you in my bag at the end of my round. I thought it was a sign. A sign it was time I saw once and for all if it was indeed you. I assure you that nothing, nothing, that has happened since then was planned in any way. I shall just have to pay that car driver that soaked me at lunch time, as they have given me so much” Bernie said, leaning forward and giving Serena a warm soft kiss to her right cheek.  
As Bernie drew back slightly, Serena pulled her in for another longer kiss, on her lips. They brought their arms up around each others shoulders, and hands began caressing back of necks, until small moans were heard from each of them, as their kiss deepened.  
They finally drew apart for air when Bernie stumbled slightly, feeling giddy. “Come on you, you need some food inside you! Where were we?!” Serena said, smiling. She led Bernie by the hand into the kitchen and steered her towards one of the bar stools. Serena nearly swooned herself seeing Bernie swing her right leg effortlessly over the top of the stool to sit down. Bernie looked up to see Serena grinning broadly at her. She thought maybe things were okay.  
Serena handed Bernie a bottle of her best Shiraz and two wine glasses and said “Here, can you do the honours please my lovely?” as she winked at Bernie.  
“Sure can, my lovely” Bernie said, emphasizing her term of endearment again, as she poured them each a large glass of Shiraz.  
Bernie passed a glass to Serena, who held hers aloft, saying “Cheers” as Bernie clinked with her glass, and they both took a big mouthful of the full bodied plum Shiraz.  
“Mmm ohh that’s a good one” said Bernie “you have good taste in wines I see, thank you”.  
“No, thank you. It’s been so long since I’ve had anyone to share a decent bottle of Shiraz with” Serena said, her eyes meeting Bernie’s, smiling.  
“You’re welcome!” said Bernie. “So, what’s for dinner then?”  
“How about vegetable risotto? I make it a lot and it’s so quick and easy to do, but tastes gorgeous. If I do say so myself!” Serena said, half laughing. “You can put any veg in you like but I tend to chop up a red, yellow and green pepper; leek; red onion; and mushrooms. It only takes half an hour to cook in the microwave”.  
“The microwave”? said Bernie curiously.  
“Yes you can do proper cooking in a microwave, it’s not just for warming things up you know” said Serena.  
“Oh ok, I believe you…” Bernie said raising her eyebrows. “ I’ll chop and you can cook then” Bernie said.  
“Yes major!” Serena said, saluting Bernie, and laughing. “I wonder….do you….do you still have your uniform from your army days?” Serena asked shyly.  
Bernie’s smile said it all “Would Ms Campbell like Ms Wolfe to do a private parade for her tomorrow evening before Jason and Frankie arrive?” she said.  
Serena cleared her throat a few times “Ahaa hmmm yes….only if Ms Wolfe is ready to do that for Ms Campbell? Then, yes, yes please!” Serena laughed.  
They set about comfortably preparing their dinner together, and it felt like they had known each other ages. ‘You never know what changes one day can bring’ thought Serena happily. And she still hadn’t told Bernie the good news she’d had in her letter earlier either. Serena had never believed in fate before, she thought you made your own destiny, but today’s events were starting to make her think otherwise.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little more exploring from the two of them! x

After Bernie's third sniff in a matter of moments, Serena turned around and realised she was crying. "Bernie? Whatever's wrong?" Serena asked, feeling worried, and rushing over to put her arm around Bernie's shoulders.   
"Ha ha ha I'm fine Serena, it's just the onion I'm chopping that's making me cry!" Bernie said, as she lifted her left hand to wipe her eyes.  
"No! Don't wipe your eye with the hand you've been holding the onion with!" Serena cut in, pulling Bernie's arm down, and carefully wiping Bernie's tears away with her own thumb.   
Bernie smiled. Serena couldn't help but smile back at her. "What?" asked Serena. "Can't a woman just smile at you?" Bernie said, smirking. "Well, yes, I'm just not used to it" said Serena, shyly. "Plus you have a mischievous look on your face...?" Serena queried, with a twinkle in her eyes too.   
"Me?" said Bernie "Me? mischievous? Never! ha ha ha ha mmm. But now you've said that, certain thoughts are crossing my mind" said Bernie, subconsciously licking her lips again.  
"Oh yes?" asked Serena "And what thoughts might those be?" she asked, realising she was still holding Bernie's left arm just above her wrist, while her right arm was still across Bernie's shoulders. Serena had been softly caressing Bernie's back with her right hand. Small soft circular movements, gradually moving across the top of her back. Bernie was loving Serena's small soft touches, and was glad she was sat on the stool, or she felt she might swoon.   
Every little crevice of Bernie's body seemed to be an erogenous zone when a woman touched her. When she was in the army she never liked anyone to touch her, she never let people get close to her. Until she'd met that woman that changed everything for her, and opened up a whole new world to her, one she had only dared to dream of before.  
"Oh um many things.." Bernie said, as she turned on the stool to face Serena, sliding her arm out of Serena's grasp, and placing her hands either side of Serena's waist.   
"Oh!" gasped Serena, feeling a jolt of electricity at Bernie's touch. They found themselves madly grinning at each other once again.   
Bernie lifted her left hand, then remembered the onion, and sucked at her fingers, each one in turn, in a vain attempt to remove the taint of it, then quickly wiped her fingers on a stray piece of kitchen towel just on the side next to her; before moving her hand back up and placing it lightly on Serena's face. Serena laughed to herself at the deftness with which Bernie had cleaned and dried her fingers, that Serena had hardly noticed. In fact her mind was still lingering on how Bernie had looked sucking each of her fingers...  
Bernie caressed her cheek, and slowly - painfully slowly, thought Serena - brought her thumb up to trace a line across Serena's lips.  
Without thinking, Serena opened her mouth in anticipation, as Bernie’s thumb drew across it. On reaching the other side of Serena’s mouth, Bernie paused for a split second, her thumb hovering as she could feel Serena’s hot jagged breath as she was getting turned on by her touch. Bernie smirked, and raised her eyebrows silently questioning Serena?

Serena’s head bent ever so slightly in agreement, at the same time as Bernie said “But mainly this!” as she cupped Serena’s chin to lift her lips up, and Bernie sunk her mouth heavily and hungrily onto Serena’s bottom lip. 

Serena thought she’d pleasurably sighed “Ohh” but the sound that came out was guttural, a low needy submission. She had never realised there were so many delicious nerve endings in a bottom lip! Of course she had plentiful experience of kissing, and deep kissing, but with guys…..and it had never felt like this….this was…..was….she couldn’t quite find the words in her head to describe it….but it was the best she’d ever felt, she knew that much.

When Bernie suddenly wrapped her legs around Serena’s, Serena thought she might fall, Bernie had such a strong grip….not to hurt her….but to keep her pressed tightly against her. Serena could feel a burning in her groin. Not from that. Well, not just that. Yes she was hugely turned on, but she could also feel a warmth from Bernie’s thighs. 

Suddenly Serena laughed, breaking their kiss. “What? what’s so funny?” Bernie asked, slightly laughing herself. “Sorry, Bernie, sorry. That kiss….that was…how did you learn to do that?.....it was….it was amazing….I loved it.” She said grinning at Bernie. “But I just remembered what you are wearing right now, and got a mental picture in my head of how funny we must look! Ha ha ha haa, sorry.” Serena said, apologetically.

Bernie rolled her eyes, but her lips were upturned into a big grin also. Bernie released her grip on Serena’s legs and laughed with her “Ha ha ha, yup, true, I’ve got to say this is the first time I have kissed anyone, while dressed as a cow!!...This isn’t my usual idea of ‘dressing up’ I must say!...is it me or is it getting hot in here?!” Bernie said, unbuttoning the top couple of buttons on the onesie.

Bernie looked across at Serena, only to find Serena’s eyes were fixed on Bernie’s cleavage, or rather her lacy red bra that was now peeking out of the top of the onesie!

“Eyes front! Soldier!” Bernie joked, jolting Serena out of her daydream. “Mmm ha ha, are you still hot though Bernie?” Serena said “I’m sure I could help you cool down, if you just let me….” And she tailed off, as she started undoing all the buttons on the onesie Bernie was wearing.   
Bernie stiffened slightly, not because she didn’t want this, oh heaven no, the amount of times she had dreamt of something like this with Serena she’d lost count….not that a onesie had featured in those fantasies mind you, but she stiffened slightly because as well as her body getting cooler, she was also very ticklish, and the lightest of touches set her off.

“Are you ok Bernie?” Serena queried, seeing Bernie stiffen her body. “Is this…is this…okay?” she continued. 

“It’s more than okay Serena” Bernie uttered her voice thick and husky. “I’m just very….agh! ha ha ha agh! …very ticklish!” Bernie jumped and squealed as Serena’s fingers brushed over her stomach.

“Ha ha ha….oh sorry…I’ll try not to do that again” Serena said, with mock seriousness, all the while maintaining eye contact with Bernie.

All the buttons on the onesie were undone, and Serena drew a firm line down the centre of Bernie’s body, with her right forefinger. Serena stopped, her finger poised, at the waistline of Bernie’s lacy red knickers. Serena licked her lips, Bernie felt herself doing the same in reply.

Bernie felt incredibly exposed, but incredibly comfortable with the situation at the same time. It had taken her a long time to let anyone look at her body, with few clothes on, even the woman who’d awakened her sexuality in the army, she had never really seen her bare skin, in their closeted hurried fumblings.

“Do you always wear lacy underwear to work? Is it red to match the Royal Mail theme?” Serena asked, teasing Bernie.

“Not every day, but if I wake up in a good mood and want to feel good all day, then yeah, I put my lacy underwear on….. I bet you’re glad I woke up in a good mood today, Serena, aren’t you?!” Bernie said, with a devilish glint in her eyes.

“I certainly am Bernie, yes….” Serena said, tailing off as she took in the glorious view before her, and grinning madly.

Before either of them had chance to suggest making themselves more comfortable in Serena’s lounge or….or…upstairs….this time Serena’s stomach growled from lack of food.  
“Ha ha ha” Bernie laughed “If it’s not me, it’s you! Still we had better get cooking, and fuel ourselves up, as I think we might have a bit of a workout on our hands once our dinner has gone down?!” 

And with that Bernie picked up her glass of Shiraz and took a large mouthful, gulping the warming liquid down like it was her last ever drink to be savoured.   
Serena picked up her glass and did the same, before raising her glass to Bernie’s and clinking it again saying “Cheers! I’ll drink to that plan. Yup….that definitely sounds like a good way for us to spend the evening….getting to know each other as we planned….and we can get to know each other by talking…after….after that…,” she smirked, winking at Bernie.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something to warm you up a bit on a cold January evening!! x

Serena placed a small bowl of water in front of Bernie. “Do you want me to put the onions in the water?” asked Bernie, looking confused. “No, no, I admit this sounds bonkers, but I read somewhere that it stops your eyes watering when you’re chopping onions. It does work, honestly!” Serena said earnestly.

“Well it’s worth a try I guess!” Bernie said, and she stayed sat on the stool, with the water in front of her, while she finished chopping the onions.  
Eight minutes had passed and she had also chopped up the red, yellow, and green peppers; and the long thick pale green leek too. Bernie realised she had also not cried whilst the water was before her! ‘Well you learn something new every day’ she thought.

Serena handed her a large beige mixing bowl. Bernie took it from her, with her eyebrows raised, questioning? “If you wouldn’t mind putting the onions in the bowl please, and then add a good dash of olive oil? That’d be great thank you” Serena said.  
Bernie did as instructed, then Serena covered the bowl top with cling film, popped a few air holes in it, and then popped it in the microwave for five minutes.

All this time Bernie had stayed sat on the stool, with the onesie open all the way down at the front. Serena had tried not to look too often at Bernie’s shapely body, encased in that beautiful lacy red underwear, but by golly it took all of her willpower to ration herself.  
While Bernie was chopping, Serena had cleared away the vegetable scraps into her compost caddy, and measured out the risotto rice into a smaller bowl. Well, she used to measure the correct amount, but she’d made it so many times, that now she just tipped a good load in, which might have filled maybe four heaped tablespoons worth of rice.  
“Ping!” went the microwave. “Dinner’s ready!” Bernie joked. “Ha ha, very funny. Patience, my dear” said Serena.  
“Right let’s take the bowl out, and then if you don’t mind can you add to the onion, all the veg you’ve chopped, and then mix it together a bit and add a dash more oil. Thank you.” Serena said, smiling at Bernie.  
As Bernie got on with that task, Serena was trying to think what was missing ‘Ah, yes!’ she remembered, ‘the stock!’ she cursed to herself.  
A few minutes later and Serena had a pint of stock mixed, ready to add. Bernie slid the bowl over to her on the work surface, and Serena re-covered the bowl, and popped it back in the microwave for another five minutes. When that time was up, she added the stock and the rice and put it back in to cook for another 13 minutes.  
Whilst that was cooking, Serena got the mushrooms out, divided them in half and got another sharp knife out of the drawer. “We can both chop these up at the same time” she said, smiling at Bernie.  
They stood opposite each other at the chopping board, working away. Bernie finished her half first and look over at Serena’s growing pile. “Ha ha ha ha” Bernie laughed. “What?!” asked Serena. “You have sliced all yours and I’ve chopped all mine!” said Bernie. “That’s okay, I did say chop them I know, but hey they all go down the same way, don’t they?” Serena said, smiling.  
“Bernie?” Serena said. Bernie was in a world of her own and didn’t respond. “Berneee!” Serena said, again, a little louder. “Oh sorry Serena” Bernie said, “You distracted me there….talking about….about….going….down….ahem” she said tailing off, and looking sheepish.  
Serena felt her cheeks flush crimson “Oh is it hot in here or is it me?!” she said.  
“Oh you’re hot Serena, ahem I mean I’m hot…yes yes..I’m hot too” Bernie said, shrugging the onesie off her shoulders, and letting it drop to the floor at her feet.  
As she stepped out of the onesie Serena let out a gasp. “Ohhh Bernie”. Bernie smirked and walked over to Serena’s fridge, trying not to lose her cool and air of confidence as she tried to quickly work out which half was the fridge and which was the freezer. She didn’t like these new trendy tall fridge freezers, there was no logic as to which half would be which.  
She tried to remember whether she had seen Serena bend down to get the vegetables out of the fridge, or whether she had been stood, and got them out of the top half. Bernie cursed her memory, or lack of it, and her deep concentration which had meant she’d had her head down most of the time she was chopping the veg, and hadn’t noticed either way.  
In those few moments, she decided the bottom half was the freezer, and she squatted down on her haunches , and gripped the handle and pulled it open. Luckily she was right, she had found the freezer. “Oh god Bernie are you trying to kill me?” Serena said breathily, just about getting her words out. The sight before her of Bernie in her lacy red underwear stooped down low, was damn near giving Serena a heart attack. How come this woman was having such an effect on her! She thought.  
Bernie soon found what she was looking for, a tray of ice cubes. She pulled it out and dropped it quickly on the work top next to the fridge. Bernie thanked her lucky stars that it was a flexible plastic tray and she was able to pop a couple of cubes out quite easily. She hastily put the rest of the tray back in the freezer, picked up the two cubes she had set aside, and whirled around to face Serena, just as “ping!” the microwave went off.  
“Oh I have perfect timing ha ha ha” Bernie said, laughing. “Here” Bernie said to Serena, placing an ice cube in each of her hands. “Would you mind rubbing these over my neck and back to cool me down please?” she asked Serena. “Yow! They’re bloody cold!” shouted Serena. “Well, yes, I have just got them out of the freezer! They’ll soon warm up as they melt on the warmth of my body!” she said, winking at Serena.  
“Oh-kay” Serena said, sighing. “If I must ha ha ha. Turn around then major!” Serena said, as Bernie whirled around on the spot. Bernie placed her hands flat on the work surface in front of her, leaning down, as Serena stood up close behind her. There was hardly any air between them, thought Bernie. She laughed to herself. Not that she minded that fact, but she hadn’t expected Serena to react so favourably to her requests.  
With an ice cube in the palm of each hand, Serena placed her hands above the back strap of Bernie’s bra, and dragged her hands slowly up Bernie’s back, either side of her spine, creating a wet line as she did so. When she was in line with her shoulders, she mirrored her hands and spread out her hands, one to each side, and then painfully slowly, drew her hands back down Bernie’s sides and to her bra line again.  
A combination of the feel of Serena’s hands, and the cool of the ice, made Bernie arch her back, pushing herself back into Serena. Serena let out an involuntary low moan. Her whole body ached to be touched, and she hoped Bernie might return the favour with ice cubes on her later too. ‘God it’s hot in here’ she thought. ‘I’m not sure if it’s the menopause or just the effect Bernie is having on me!’  
“Mmm ohh yess, that’s so nice Serena thank you” Bernie murmured. “Would you mind just running the cubes over my neck too?” Bernie asked as she somehow managed to turn herself around to face Serena.  
“Oh!” gasped Serena, almost losing grip of the ice cube in each hand. “Hello you” she said, smiling broadly. Bernie replied with a cheeky grin, her eyes twinkling with devilish thoughts, Serena thought.  
Serena locked eyes with Bernie, and brought her hands up together and rested them momentarily just above Bernie’s cleavage. Bernie felt the water trickle down to her bosom, and she wished that Serena would dip her head there to lick the water up.  
Serena didn’t however, but she slid her hands up to Bernie’s collarbone, before on up again either side of her neck. Small rivulets of water ran down Bernie’s front, as the ice cubes were no more. Serena traced the line of one with her right hand, the tip of her finger running down Bernie’s front, and dipping into the small puddle between her bosom. “Oh I’m sorry” Serena said, with mock seriousness “I appear to have wet your bra!....You’ll have to take that off in a moment, and let me dry it with the rest of your clothes.” She said, trying not to laugh.  
Bernie caught Serena’s arm and pulled her hands back up to her neck. “Ohh Serena. I want you so much!” Bernie said, not being able to hold out any longer, and once again diving down onto Serena’s bottom lip and sucking, and kissing her so deeply.  
Muffled deep moans came from them both, as they hungrily tasted each other.  
In her excitement, Bernie pushed herself away from the counter, and forwards, sending Serena almost stumbling into the other counter behind her. “Oh!” said Serena, breaking their kiss. “What?” asked Bernie. “I’ve just remembered we haven’t added the mushrooms yet!” said Serena. “Oh Serena! Really? Now?!” Bernie said, laughing. “Yeah. Sorry” Serena said “You did say we needed to get our energy up for later Bernie, and all we’ve had so far is wine! I’ll just be two ticks” Serena said.  
Bernie sighed and picked up her glass of wine, taking a large swig of the Shiraz.  
Meanwhile Serena took the bowl out of the microwave, stirred the contents up a bit, before adding the mushrooms. She gave it all one last stir to mix it up, then put the bowl back in the microwave for another two minutes. “After those two minutes, it just needs to stand for ten minutes and then it’ll be ready to eat” Serena said, proudly.  
Bernie smiled at her, raising one eyebrow. “So…” said Bernie.  
“So, that gives us ten minutes to get to know each other some more.” Serena said, as she picked up her glass of wine, took Bernie by the hand and led her into the snug. Serena took Bernie’s glass and put it with hers on a side table. Serena gently pushed Bernie, who fell back onto the sofa grinning. Serena climbed astride Bernie’s beautiful strong toned legs, and made her way up her body until she was almost at her mouth again. Bernie opened her mouth, and licked her lips ready to taste her again, but Serena stopped and just placed her right forefinger against Bernie’s lips for her to kiss.  
Bernie hoped Serena wasn’t losing her confidence. Yes she did want to talk to Serena, and get to know her better that way too, but right now, god right now she needed to feel Serena against her.  
Bernie must have looked a bit confused as Serena said “It’s okay, I do want to do this, oh god I do” she said winking. “I just need to cool myself down a bit first. Is that okay?”  
Bernie nodded, still a bit unsure what Serena meant by this, but not wanting to push her into something she didn’t want to do either.  
Serena sat up with her knees under her, and reached under the hem of her cashmere jumper. Bernie’s eyes lit up as she realised what Serena was about to do. Tantalisingly slowly, thought Bernie, Serena lifted her jumper up over her head, and cast it aside on the sofa.  
“Oh my….Serena” gasped Bernie. “You’re beautiful” she said, as she took in the sight before her Serena was wearing a white lacy underwired bra, which cupped her bosom perfectly, showing off her wonderful cleavage.  
Bernie reached up and slowly ran her hands up Serena’s toned stomach, causing Serena’s breath to hitch slightly. Serena almost forgot to breathe out again, she didn’t want any movement on her part to stop Bernie doing what she was doing. It was delicious, she thought.  
Bernie pausing momentarily as she reached Serena’s bosom, locking eyes with her, before she carried on and cupped each breast in her hands, enjoying the feel of the lace under her fingers.  
“Ohhh Bernie, ohhh goddd” Serena moaned. “That….feels….so..so…good. Oh my!” Serena thought she might faint at any moment, god Bernie hadn’t even touched her skin yet, but just the feel of her finger brushing over the bra cup, and brushing past her nipple….oh my, she was so sensitive to the lightest of touches, where her erogenous zones were concerned!  
Bernie was grinning so much she thought her jaw might stay stuck like it. She couldn’t believe what, or rather who, she was holding in her hands right now! She still couldn’t believe her good fortune today.  
“Ping!” went the kitchen timer, breaking their spell. The ten minutes were up and their risotto was ready. “Ha ha ha ha, not again!” laughed Bernie. “Though I have to admit I am now ravenous” she said “For you Serena, and for food!”  
Serena laughed and admitted she too was hungry for both food and Bernie!  
“Right, take a good look at where we are now, and we know where to start from again after we’ve eaten!” Serena said. “Oh believe me Serena, I wont forget!” Bernie exclaimed, subconsciously licking her lips again.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally some more from me!

Serena reluctantly crawled off Bernie, stood up and held her hands out to her to pull her up also.  
Bernie took hold of Serena's hands, unfurled her long legs and sprang up, almost knocking Serena off balance. Bernie winked at Serena, who blushed, and led her into the kitchen.  
"Oh hang on" said Bernie. "Let me bring our wine in too" she said, as she let go of Serena's hands and strode back into the snug, took a glass in each hand, and delivered them back in front of Serena on her kitchen table.  
"Thank you" said Serena, softly, giving the risotto one last stir, before dishing out two portions onto separate plates. Bernie sat herself down at the table, as Serena placed the full plates on the table “Mmm this smells gorgeous” Bernie said. She stopped herself from saying to Serena ‘as do you’ but made a mental note to tell her later on how good she smelt. Bernie didn’t know much about perfumes but whatever Serena was wearing made her smell divine.  
They ate in largely companionable silence, apart from Bernie praising Serena at how fabulous the risotto tasted, and she couldn't believe it had all been cooked in a microwave! Serena had blushed furiously and claimed it wasn't hard to make, as Bernie had seen.  
In fact it was a wonder Serena didn’t choke on her food, as she was eating it so quickly, alternate with gulping down her Shiraz, since she found herself rather keen to get back to the position they’d been in when the timer had gone off.  
Their silence wasn’t awkward however, as the unspoken communication between them, just from their facial expressions alone, was enough to convey to each other what they were each thinking. Serena couldn't take her eyes off Bernie, still clad in only her underwear, sat opposite her at the kitchen table.  
The wine was making Serena feel more confident than usual, and she stretched her leg out under the table, with the intention of reaching across to Bernie’s chair, or rather to inbetween the delights of her thighs. But she realised her legs weren’t long enough, just as Bernie smirked, raised an eyebrow and said “Are you trying to play footsie with me Ms Campbell? That’s outrageous!” She had that mischievous look in her eyes, Serena thought.  
“It’s outrageous that your legs aren’t quite long enough I mean” Bernie said, grinning wickedly. “Oh!” said Serena, surprised, as she felt Bernie’s right foot land between her thighs. Bernie’s toes wiggled and pressed against her and Serena starting squirming slightly, delighting in the feeling, and eager to rub herself against her. “Ohh god Bernie…..what are you doing to me…..this is….is….this…is….ohhh my god ohhhh oooo god you’ve hit the spot there! I think I’m going to….to….to….aaaahhhhhhh ohh yessss!” Serena shouted as she climaxed.  
Serena sheepishly looked across at Bernie and said “Oh I’m sorry, that was a bit quick……it’s been a while since I’ve…..I’ve……”  
“…had something to turn you on so much?” Bernie, offered.  
“Well, yes” said Serena, shyly. “But you’re definitely not some ‘thing’ ….you’re…you’re…..amazing….thank you” Serena said stroking small circles around Bernie’s ankle bone, which Bernie seemed to be enjoying, more than Serena thought she would.  
“You’re welcome Ms Campbell. Anytime I can be of assistance to you, do let me know. Though perhaps we’d better not do this tomorrow night when Jason comes to dinner with his girlfriend! Although I expect I will see the memory of it on your face when we sit down to eat!” Bernie said, grinning madly.  
“Yes I will remember that every time I sit down at this table again. Thank you.” Said Serena. “I’ve never done that….here…..before……but yes I have imagined it! Though when you woke me from my post lunch nap this afternoon, I was sat here asleep with my head resting on the table, I was….well I cant remember what I was dreaming about then, if anything, but I certainly couldn’t have predicted this happening just a few hours later. Wow!”  
“I don’t think I’ve ever eaten my dinner sat in my bra either!” Serena exclaimed, laughing. “Oh you haven’t lived” said Bernie “I do this all the time. Sit in just my undies having dinner. Bit of a bugger when I drop crumbs down my cleavage though…..and there’s no one about to help me pick them out! Ha ha haaa” Bernie said, laughing.  
“Sorry I’m talking rubbish now” said Bernie. “Don’t worry, it’s ok, I love hearing you laugh” said Serena, as she stood up and carefully walked around the table, keeping one hand on it to steady herself, while keeping her eyes fixed on Bernie’s cleavage.  
Bernie followed her gaze “Eyes front!” she joked.  
“Oh they are, fixed on your front yes, Ms Wolfe. I think I can see a grain of rice on your chest. Let me help you remove it” Serena said, as she dipped her head and licked the imaginary grain of rice off Bernie’s chest. “Oh Serena” Bernie gasped.  
Serena grinned, both with the effect she was having on Bernie, and with how brave she was being, seducing Bernie, and at the table no less! This wasnt the usual measured Serena, and she wondered at how easily it was that Bernie was bringing out this devilish side to her, one that she was relishing.  
Serena slid her right hand around Bernie’s back and deftly turned her in her chair to face her, so she was now sat sideways to the table.  
Bernie was enjoying Serena taking charge, this was a new thing to her. Plus she didnt want Serena to feel pressured into doing anything she didn’t want to do, so she was happy to follow her lead, especially as despite having dreamt of this for some time, Bernie had only met Serena a few hours ago. This was something she was having a hard time remembering, when it felt like they had known each other an age already, and were so at ease in each other’s company. Bernie knew it took a special person to make her feel that at ease so soon.  
Bernie’s eyes lit up once more, as Serena straddled her right leg and sat on her thigh. “Your bra must still be damp, let me help you with it” said Serena, as she reached behind Bernie, and quickly unsnapped its fastening, letting her lacy red bra drop into her lap.  
“Oh my. Are you sure you haven’t done this before Ms Campbell!” Bernie said, licking her lips before planting a hungry kiss on Serena’s lips. Their hands roamed over each others face, neck and into their hair, making Bernie groan, she loved the feeling when someone ran their fingers through her hair and massaged her scalp in the meantime, it felt glorious.  
As Bernie’s hands were at Serena’s back, she fumbled with her bra fastener, not quite being able to undo it at the angle she was sat. Serena smirked and said “Let me help you there” as she reached back to undo her own bra, letting it fall forward to join Bernie’s red lacy one sat in her lap. As it dropped Bernie momentarily looked down at the mix of red and white lacy cups lain between them. She grabbed them both and gently but quickly flung them onto Serena’s empty chair.  
As Bernie drew her eyes up Serena’s body again, she gasped at the view of Serena’s voluptuous bosom before her. Right before her. So so close. Bernie dipped her head, and with her hand guiding each bosom in turn, slipped her mouth over Serena’s nipples, and sucked. And gently nipped, and sucked alternately, and flicked the tip of her tongue quickly over them.  
“Hummm mmm ohhh yes!” Serena murmured. She squirmed slightly as her left nipple was a bit more sensitive than the other, but still….she still enjoyed the sensations that Bernie’s tongue on her nipples was giving her.  
As Bernie’s mouth left her breast for a moment, Serena took the chance to stand up. Bernie looked concerned she had done something wrong. Serena smiled to reassure her, and slid her right hand down Bernie’s body, from her neck, down the middle of her cleavage, down the middle of her stomach, past her belly button, and then rested at the waist band of Bernie’s lacy red knickers.  
Bernie nodded it was okay to go further. Keeping her eyes locked on Bernie’s, Serena dipped her fingers down into the lacy front, feeling her way to the magical place.  
Serena had called her own sex, the ‘magical place’ when she was a young girl and had discovered what enjoyment could be had from rubbing her fingers there.  
Subconciously Bernie opened her legs a little wider, and shuffled forward in the chair to give Serena better access.  
“Oh….oh yes….oh….oh….ohhhh yessss oh Serena” Bernie said. “That’s so so good, but let me help you out a bit more there” she said as she lifted her bottom up and slid her knickers down her legs. She went to take them all the way down but Serena stopped her. “No, please, leave them at half mast. I want to still see your red lace” Serena said, grinning.  
Bernie grinned too, she liked that Serena was getting so turned on with this.  
Serena put her hand back between Bernie’s legs, pressing her palm against her pubic bone, with just the tip of her fingers tickling her clit just a touch. “Oh yes ohhh yes oh goddd yesss oh yes Serena! Where did you learn to do this?! You’re sooo good” Bernie moaned.  
“Ding Dong!” went Serena’s doorbell. “Oh my god. Who can that be now?!” Serena exclaimed, stopping momentarily, but not taking her hand away from Bernie. “Just ignore it Serena, pleeease, I’m so close….dont stop” Bernie said urgently.  
“Ding dong ding dong ding dong ding dong!!!!!!” went the doorbell again. “Bloody hell has someone fallen on the door! What time is it?” said Serena.  
Before she could find her watch, they both heard someone turning a key in the front door. They turned to each other in a blind panic, realising they didn’t have anything to cover up with close at hand….


	11. Chapter 11

“Auntie Serena? Are you awake?” Jason called, as he came in through her front door.  
Serena sprang up from Bernie’s lap. Inwardly Bernie groaned at being left so tantalisingly close to the edge, however the urgency to cover up took over her mood.  
“Jason! Stay in the hall, I wont be a moment” Serena shouted, as she sped through to the snug for her discarded jumper. Bernie’s eyes were wide with panic, as she still didn’t have anything to cover up with.  
The lounge door started to open, just as Serena ran back into the room, in time to get to the door before Jason opened it wider.  
“Jason! I said stay in the hallway, I was just coming out” Serena reprimanded him. She stood at the door with her left hand on the knob so he couldn’t open it any wider. “Whatever’s the matter Auntie Serena? Why must I stay in the hall? You’re acting even weirder than you normally do!” he said.  
“Jason, please remember that this is my house, and even though I gave you a key, I did ask that you ring the bell first before you let yourself in” Serena said, knowing full well what Jason’s reply would be, before he even said it, but she was biding for time.  
“I did ring the bell! Didn’t you hear it? I even held my finger on it for longer too. Are you that old you need hearing aids now, as well as reading glasses, Auntie Serena?” Serena gave him a deathly stare.  
“Have I said something wrong, Auntie Serena?....I have, haven’t I?....I’m sorry but you know I only tell the truth.  
“Yes but sometimes the truth can be hurtful Jason” Serena said, sighing. “I know you don’t mean it that way though, sorry……sorry, what was it you came back for Jason?” she said.  
“Oh did that nice lady…..Bernie, tell you I came earlier? She was nice, will she be coming around for dinner tomorrow night, like I suggested?” Jason said, smiling, trying to soften Serena’s mood.  
“Yes …yes…” Serena stuttered.  
“Jason! Good to see you again so soon” Bernie’s voice boomed behind Serena making her jump.  
“Come in and sit down for a minute. Has it stopped raining yet?” Bernie asked, walking behind Serena and pulling the lounge door open wider, as Jason stepped through into the lounge.  
Serena didn’t dare look around at Bernie. She couldn’t think what she had managed to cover herself up with so soon. She also regretted her split second decision to make sure she was covered, and not Bernie too.  
“Oh, Bernie. You’re still here. Yes it’s stopped now. Your clothes must be dry enough to put on I would have thought.” Jason said. “Auntie Serena has the heating on so much, it’s always hot in this house. That must be another reason why she falls asleep so much I guess.” he said.  
Bernie tried not to laugh. She loved Jason’s honesty, but she could see that Serena was not always so amused.  
“Ha. Yes, your Auntie Serena and I got chatting after you left. And we were both getting hungry for….for….we were getting hungry, so your Auntie Serena kindly let me stay for some dinner.” Bernie stopped speaking before she let too much slip.  
“Auntie Serena didn’t get you to make the dinner did she?” Jason asked. “That’s a bit rude when you’re a guest” he said.  
“Bernie helped me prepare most of the vegetables, yes, but she wanted to help. How did you know that?” Serena queried.  
“Well don’t you know what Bernie’s wearing, Auntie Serena? You do ask some silly questions sometimes, don’t you.” Jason said, matter of factly.  
Bernie smirked, aware that Serena couldn’t see her expression.  
Serena was still stood in front of Bernie, but slowly turned around to see what she was now wearing, as she must admit her curiosity was getting the better of her – she thought Bernie must be a genius though, as Serena couldn’t possibly think what was near to hand that Bernie had put on.  
“Ha ha ha ha ha” Serena laughed, when she saw Bernie’s attire.  
“What’s so funny?” Jason asked. “Had you forgotten already what Bernie was wearing? I know you think you have to worry about me, but I think it’s you we have to worry about sometimes, Auntie Serena” Jason said, looked bemused.  
Bernie thought it was safe this time to let out a laugh, even though Serena was now facing her. Bernie winked, and Serena smiled.  
“I must say I rather like this uniform Jason” said Bernie. “Did you buy this as another joke, for your Auntie Serena?”  
“How did you know I gave it to her?” Jason asked. “I did, but it wasn’t a joke” he said.  
“Oh I’m so sorry Jason. I just thought, because….” Bernie trailed off.  
“Because it’s a tall chefs hat, and white long jacket, and it’d be too long for Auntie Serena, so it’d make her look silly - like the cow onesie you were wearing earlier?” Jason said.  
“Well….” Bernie said.  
“You’re right actually, I can see now it would be too long for Auntie Serena, which is probably why I have never seen her wear it?” he said, looking quizzically at Serena, who tried not to meet his eye.  
“But I didn’t actually buy it, I won it in a raffle. When Auntie Serena told me how much she liked cooking, and that her favourite apron was getting worn out, I thought she might like it. So I brought it over for her. She said she liked it when I gave it to her?” he said, looking at Serena for some explanation as to why she had never worn it.  
“Ah Jason I do like it, and it was very generous of you to give me your raffle prize. I wear the chefs hat sometimes, but not the jacket. I have tried it on but as you can see it would have been too long on me. On Bernie however it looks…..it looks perfect” Serena said, smiling at Bernie.  
‘It looks perfect because despite its length, I can see her long slender legs’ thought Serena. ‘Also I know how little she is wearing underneath it too’ Serena mused to herself, subconsciously licking her lips.  
“What happened to the onesie you were wearing when I came around before? Did you get too hot wearing it?” Jason asked.  
“Yes Jason, yes…something like that” Bernie said.  
Serena quickly cut in - “So, Jason, what was it you’ve come back for tonight, that couldn’t wait until tomorrow evening? Won’t Alan be wondering where you are?”  
“Ah it’s ok Auntie Serena, I told Alan I wouldn’t be long, he knows where I am. It’s just I got back to my flat and when I took my jacket off, I realised I had a button missing on my shirt cuff. I thought back to where I might have lost it, and having retraced my steps, I came to the conclusion that it must have happened when I had a fight with your front door in the wind!” Jason said.  
“Pardon?” said Serena.  
“I said it must have happened when I had a fight with…” Jason said, as Serena cut in again “Yes Jason I heard what you said, I meant, what did you mean by ‘a fight with my front door’?” she asked curiously.  
“You know, when you woke up and I said Jason had just left?” said Bernie. “Jason was having to fight against the wind to get the door shut behind him”.  
“I was going to get up and help him, but I didn’t want to disturb your sleeping. I was just about to work out how to get up without waking you, when Jason managed to shut the door. That’s when you woke, when it banged shut” Bernie said.  
“Oh right I see. But couldn’t you just have texted me Jason to ask me to look for it?” Serena said.  
“I could have. But Frankie helped me choose this shirt, she said I looked really dapper in it, and she really liked it on me. So I didn’t want to lose any buttons on it. I wanted to wash it tonight so I can wear it again tomorrow when we come here for dinner.” Jason said.  
“Oh Jason. I see. So, did you find the button when you came in just now? Was it by the front door? As it wont have gone anywhere else, and neither of us have been by the front door since you left, to have disturbed it.” Serena queried.  
“I haven’t looked yet. I didn’t want to just let myself in and not tell you I was here first. That would be rude” said Jason.  
Serena sighed, then said “Thank you Jason. Okay let’s have a look for it now then shall we, then you can be getting home, as it’s getting late. What colour is the button?”  
“Red. Red, for danger, that’s what Frankie says to me” he said proudly.  
‘A love of red runs in the family’ mused Bernie to herself. Bernie caught Serena’s eye and pretended to open the jacket to flash what she had on underneath. Bernie smiled, as Serena blushed.  
Bernie followed Jason and Serena into the hall, all with their eyes cast on the carpet by the front door.  
“There it is!” exclaimed Bernie, stooping down to pick it up, and being careful not to reveal what she was, or rather wasn’t, wearing underneath the long jacket. She handed it to Jason.  
“There, now have you got a zip up pocket to keep it in until you get home?” Bernie asked him.  
“Yes there are secret pockets all over this jacket. Thank you Bernie, it’s just as well you were still here, as Auntie Serena’s eyesight isn’t very good these days” Jason said, as Bernie smiled in reply.  
“You’re very welcome Jason. It has been lovely to meet you today, and I shall look forward to chatting with you over dinner tomorrow night” she said, offering her hand again, to shake his.  
Jason shook Bernie’s hand, and said “Yes, I look forward to dinner tomorrow night too. I am glad to see Auntie Serena took my advice and invited you too”.  
“Thank you Auntie Serena. Frankie and I will see you at the usual time tomorrow night then. Don’t stay up too late, you know you need your beauty sleep so that you are not cranky the next day” he said.  
“Yes, thank you Jason, I think I am old enough to know for myself when I can go to bed, without you telling me. Now go on, off home with you, and we’ll see you tomorrow.” Serena said, giving him a half hug, knowing he wasn’t easily affectionate. “Bye darling” she said.  
“Bye Jason” said Bernie. “Bye Bernie, bye Auntie Serena” he said as he walked out the front door. Just as Serena went to close it behind him he said “And don’t forget to tidy your bra’s away before you go to bed either!”  
Serena looked at Bernie in shock, and then they both collapsed in a fit of laughter, as she shut the door. “Oh my god, that boy doesn’t miss a thing! How did he even see them?!” Serena said.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little something to keep you going...!

Serena turned and put the chain across the door, saying “Right, before we get any more disruptions, I’m just making sure so no one else can let themselves in unexpectedly! Though Jason is the only other person to have a spare key….so hopefully, that’s him gone home for the night now. I love him to bits, but he does have a certain way with words! I’m still getting used to his ways.”  
Bernie smiled sympathetically at her. “Right, so what shall we do now then?” Bernie said, with that mischievous glint in her eyes once more.  
Serena put her hands either side of Bernie’s waist, and gently slid her fingers down Bernie’s thighs, before suddenly letting go. “Oh!” said Bernie, surprised. “I was just enjoying that, you tease” she said.  
“Ha ha! Why don’t you go and make yourself more comfortable in the snug, and I’ll be right with you. I just need a quick call of nature first, sorry, it’s all this excitement, ha ha” Serena said.  
“You’re stimulated from all the excitement? How do you think I feel ??!!” Bernie exclaimed, laughing.  
“I know exactly how you feel Bernie. You’re all warm and wet and…mmmm…” Serena trailed off, winked at Bernie, and licked her lips.  
“Ha ha ha, Serena, you’re incorrigible!” Bernie said, laughing to herself, as she strode off, back to the snug. “Don’t be long now” Bernie called back, as she walked.  
\--  
Five minutes later and Bernie looked up as Serena walked into the snug. She took in the glorious sight before her. Serena had discarded her jumper once more, and her bra was still off.   
But now, now Bernie could see Serena’s legs too. They were no longer covered by her boot-cut trousers. No, now they were bare. Well, partly.   
Mostly they were encased in sheer black stockings, complete with a red garter and black suspender belt. With lacy red knickers, tightly encasing her bottom, over the top of the suspenders.   
“Oh Serena” Bernie said breathily “Wow”!  
As Bernie’s eyes travelled down Serena’s legs, she gasped again when she saw the height of the heels Serena was now sporting. Slender black patent heels no less.   
“Oh Serena, you look…..you look so…..so…” Bernie was stuck for words, she was mesmerised by how beautiful Serena looked. “Edible?” Serena offered, winking.  
Bernie cleared her throat, and then she almost growled her words “Ohhhh yesss, most definitely. Come here!”  
“Gladly” said Serena, teetering over to the sofa “I need to finish off what I started, when we were so rudely interrupted! Are you still hanging on the edge?!” she said, chuckling slightly.  
“It’s not funny Serena, and you sprang up to get your jumper, and left me bare!!” Bernie said, pretending to be cross.  
Serena looked sheepish “I’m sorry Bernie, I do regret my decision there, but I panicked, I really didn’t think Jason needed to see his middle-aged Auntie’s deflated baps!!!”  
“Baps? Ha ha ha ha haaa!!” Bernie said incredulously, and laughing. “Ms Campbell, your bosom is far more pert and melon-like than any baps I have seen!”  
Serena laughed with her, and knelt on the sofa on her right knee, positioning it between Bernie’s legs.  
Bernie still had the chef’s jacket on, but had put the hat, erect on the floor to the side of the sofa.  
“Have you warmed up a bit more now Ms Wolfe? May I take your jacket off you?” Serena said, as she leant over Bernie, and began to slowly unzip the chef’s jacket. She was so slow that Bernie put her hand over Serena’s and tugged the zip down more urgently!  
“Sorry, I know this was a gift to you from Jason, and I don’t want to break the zip Serena, but by god you’re turning me on so much right now, I don’t think I can stand the wait much longer. I…I need you to touch me….please…Serena!” Bernie said, casting the jacket open wide and pulling Serena’s right hand into her slippery folds once more.  
Bernie’s lacy knickers were trapping Serena’s hand at an awkward position, and she motioned for Bernie to raise her hips. As she did, Serena pushed her knickers back to her knees. Where she could still see them while she was pleasuring Bernie. As Serena glanced down she saw the dark red patch in the gusset of Bernie’s knickers. She subconsciously licked her lips, at seeing how wet Bernie had already become.  
Serena had never done this before, well not to another woman, just to herself, but she knew how damn good it felt to her, and she hoped that Bernie would feel the same pleasure. Certainly, Serena was enjoying this new sensation of touching another woman intimately, and she was enjoying that it was what she was doing that was causing Bernie so much pleasure.  
Serena moved her hand to how she’d had it before, pressing her palm against Bernie’s pubic bone, with just the tip of her fingers tickling her clit just a touch. “Oh yes ohhh yes oh goddd yesss oh yes Serena! Ohhh Ohhh Ohhh OhYou’re sooo good” Bernie moaned, as her left leg started shaking, and she was nearing climax.  
Serena pressed a little harder, and more urgently. “Oh oh oh oh oh oooo ooo yesss!” Bernie, almost howled, as she came thick and fast, and gushed into Serena’s hand.  
“Oh! Wow. I’ve never managed that myself” Serena said, in awe.   
“Oh I’m sorry. I hope this sofa won’t stain!” Bernie said, looking sheepish.  
“Nothing to be sorry about Bernie. That was amazing.” Serena said, planting a kiss on Bernie’s lips.  
“Well you’re amazing Serena” Bernie said, then kissed her back. “Thank you…wow! You more than made up for the wait!” she said.  
“I see we both like lacy red knickers too” Bernie said “Now I see why you liked mine so much!” she said, laughing gently. “So, Ms Campbell, are stocking & suspenders a kink of yours then?”.  
Putting on a French accent, Serena said “You like, Madam?”   
Bernie opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. She cleared her throat, and then in a husky whisper said “Mais oui Madam….”   
Their eyes were locked together, and they were both grinning madly.  
“Well in that case” said Serena “Bernie, voulez vous coucher avec moi c’est soir?”


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Long overdue update, apologies as usual! Hope you enjoy.

Bernie’s broad grin said it all, but still she nodded her head, and then just to make sure Serena definitely knew her intentions, said even huskier than before “Oui Madame, bein sur” and then almost whispered “Merci” and felt herself blushing.  
“No, thank you Bernie. Thank you…..thank you for awakening this side of me!” Serena said, grinning.  
“Serena Campbell, Lesbian Author. That has a certain ring to it don’t you think?!” she added.   
“It sounds pretty perfect to me Serena” Bernie said. 

“Shall we take this somewhere a bit more comfortable? Even though I am tempted to christen every part of my house” Serena said, winking at Bernie. “But we’ve plenty of time for that, I’m sure?” she said.  
“Oh I do hope so yes Serena. I can’t believe this is happening to me! You do know we only met this afternoon. You are sure about this aren’t you? Because I don’t want to do anything you’re not sure about, if you’re not ready yet? We’ve got all the time in the world you know. We can take things slowly?” Bernie said.  
“I think it’s a bit late for taking things slowly” said Serena “we’ve made quite a head start already my dear! Don’t worry I won’t let you coerce me into anything I don’t want to do. So long as you’re sure, I definitely am. What have we got to lose? If all that comes out of this is we have a bit of fun and we enjoy ourselves, then that’s good. Or we give it a shot getting to know each other better, and have a few conversations around all this fun, and who knows we might get a beautiful friendship too. It’s been a long while since I’ve had a close female friend, and even longer since I’ve had a lover, so I am very grateful you decided today was the day to make yourself known to me. At my age why should I wait and take things ‘slowly’, if life has taught me one thing it’s to go out and grab it by the balls – sorry bad choice of pun – but to just enjoy it ya know? You never know what’s around the corner, so why wait for things, why not enjoy the here and now?” Serena placed a gentle kiss on Bernie’s lips. 

“Why indeed” Bernie agreed “And I’m definitely sure about giving this, us, a go! I can’t believe how lucky I am that YOU want to get to know ME!”  
“Well quite frankly who wouldn’t want to get to know you! You’re tall, blonde, very active, and with legs that go all the way up to heaven!!” Serena said.   
Bernie blushed, but also found herself grinning madly, yet again. Bernie reached up and put her arms around Serena’s neck, pulling her close for a kiss again. The one gentle kiss became a deeper more urgent kiss from them both, as Serena mused to herself yet again how fabulous it was just how many nerve endings there must be in our lips, that just sucking on one could produce such a glorious feeling!  
However Serena was the one to break away from the kiss first “I’m sorry Bernie, I’m going to have to move”.  
“Oh sorry” said Bernie, looking worried. “Nothing to be sorry about Bernie, and don’t look so worried, I just need to move because my leg is going dead, standing with one knee bent up like this! …the joys of getting older!” Serena said, half laughing.  
“Okay….and you’re not old Serena! I think we are probably about the same age!” Bernie said, smiling.  
“Maybe, but I get the feeling you are a lot fitter than me Bernie” Serena said, as she moved backwards off the sofa, stood up, and continued “especially with all the walking you do on your postal round? Whereas my job is rather sedentary, and I do struggle mustering up the enthusiasm to go for a walk, when I’m on my own. I do have an exercise bike in the garage but as it’s not in sight all the time, I forget to use it…well that’s my excuse anyway!”   
“Oh Bernie, you’re shivering! Sorry the heating has gone off now. Let’s go upstairs and get cosy and more comfortable shall we?” Serena suggested.

“You’re not going to take off your stockings and heels yet are you?” Bernie said, looking sad.  
“My heels won’t be very comfy in bed, but I’ll leave the rest on definitely!” Serena said, winking at Bernie.  
“Oh would you mind keeping your heels on a bit longer? I do have a thing about patent shoes, and although I don’t wear high heels, I would fall over in them if I tried, I do like to see women wear them…or more importantly, I love seeing you wear them. You look quite the seductress!” Bernie said, subconsciously licking her lips.  
“Would you like me to seduce you?” Serena asked, as seductively as she could muster.  
With eyes heavy with lust, Bernie gulped, grinned, and slowly nodded.  
Serena smiled, and held her hands out to pull Bernie up off the snug sofa. She took Bernie’s hand and led her through to the hall. She paused a moment, put her hand and one finger up in the air to signal ‘one moment’ and dashed back into the other room to pick up the wine bottle and their glasses to take with them upstairs.  
Serena returned to the hall, where Bernie was still stood - naked but for her lovely lacy red knickers - took her by the hand once more, and led her up the stairs to Serena’s bedroom.   
Despite her desire to try all sorts of things she had read about that ‘lesbians’ did in bed, Serena’s bravado was beginning to slip as she somehow felt it mattered a bit more, when she brought a lover to her bedroom. She wanted it to be special, but despite all they had already got up to downstairs, Serena found herself unsure what to do next.  
Serena dropped hands with Bernie, and bent down to put the wine bottle next to her usual side of the bed, placing the wine glasses next to it. 

She soon straightened up again however, as she felt Bernie run her finger firmly down the centre of her spine. Ooh that made her skin tingle with delight. Bernie’s finger continued running down the centre of her, and over the lace of Serena’s red knickers, ending with pinging the elastic on her black suspender belt.  
“Ow, naughty….although that short sharp sting on my thigh was also quite pleasurable at the same time!” Serena said, turning around to face Bernie. She placed a small kiss on Bernie’s lips and then gently guided her towards the bed and knocked her slightly off balance and onto the bed.  
Bernie grinned, as Serena crawled ‘catwoman-like’ up the bed, so she was on all fours over Bernie. Bernie reached up to suck each of Serena’s nipples in turn, and it took all Serena’s strength to keep herself supported over her. Before long Serena couldn’t hold that position any longer, and gently flattened herself prone against Bernie. They delighted in the feeling of their breasts rubbing together, and Serena was subconsciously grinding her groin against Bernie’s. They kissed with the urgency of teenagers who might not see each other for days.

As they kissed, Bernie stroked her fingers up and down Serena’s back. Alternating between gentle caresses and cat-like harder scratches, up and down her back, from side to side, around her shoulder blades, across the base of her spine, and back up her back, up her neck, behind her ears, and across her head into her hair, her fingers massaging her scalp.  
Serena hadn’t realised such stroking could be so orgasmic, and she was discovering she had more erogenous zones than she’d thought. It all felt fantastic, she managed to give the same treatment to Bernie’s neck, behind her ears, and into her hair, but she wanted to give Bernie the same orgasmic feeling all over her back.  
Serena rolled onto her right side and pulled Bernie onto her side too so she could reach around her. Bernie saw her intentions and was delighted, but stopped kissing a moment, and half laughed.  
“What’s so funny?!” Serena queried.  
“Sorry, I just am squashing my left arm now. There’s a technique to this, when you watch a love scene on the tv they make it look so comfy and easy!” Bernie said. “Why don’t we get under the covers now, and I’ll show you where to put your right arm, and my left arm can go between us! Then we can stay comfy and give mutual back rubs for ages.”  
“How do you know all this?” Serena asked.  
“Well I have done it with a previous partner, not for a while though mind you. But we were able to stay entwined and massaging each other like that for about an hour, it was heavenly!” Bernie said.  
“A whole hour? Just back rubbing? And no touching…anywhere else?!....Wow, who knew the body was so receptive to pleasure” Serena said “I’m looking forward to this. Let’s get you under the duvet and more cosy my lovely” as she pulled the duvet back for Bernie to get in.  
Bernie smiled, and Serena grinned back.  
“Can I take my heels off now?” Serena asked.  
“Okay I suppose they won’t really fit under the duvet very well and I don’t want you to tear your sheets….that’s some height you’ve got on those heels…though you do look delicious in them!” Bernie said lustfully.  
“Ha haa, I’ll wear them for you again tomorrow night maybe, when Jason and Frankie come to dinner! If they won’t distract you too much?!” Serena said, laughing.  
“I’ll look forward to that. Now let’s get you under this duvet with me, I want to feel your hands all over me Serena” said Bernie, holding the duvet open for Serena to join her.


	14. Chapter 14

Bernie woke but didn’t open her eyes. For a split second she thought she was at home, until she realised she could feel someone’s breath on her. She opened her eyes, and her mouth broke into the widest smile, as she saw not only was she still in bed with Serena, but they were still entwined in each other’s arms. Bernie lay still watching the rise and fall of Serena’s breathing. She tried but failed to match her breathing speed as Serena took shallow quick breaths, while Bernie breathed deeply and slowly.   
She had been shown by a work colleague to breathe like that, it was better for you apparently. It certainly helped calm Bernie if she ever had had a confrontation whilst doing her postal rounds.  
She sighed happily, and cast a look around Serena’s bedroom. She could see the wine bottle and their glasses still sat on the bedside table. Serena’s gorgeous patent shoes were thrown haphazardly on the bedroom floor, and her suspender belt was strewn across the bed. Bernie smiled to herself she suspected that Serena was usually more neat with her things, but in her desire to get intimate with her, none of that had mattered.  
Bernie cursed to herself as now that she was awake, her bladder was telling her she needed the bathroom. She didn’t want to wake Serena from her peaceful slumber, but she had to extricate herself from their entwined state, or something rather embarrassing would happen very shortly.  
Bernie gingerly removed her arm from Serena’s back, and Serena didn’t stir. So Bernie carefully moved back and unstuck her skin from Serena’s! If you did that kind of move quickly it could feel like a ‘chinese burn’, Bernie knew from past experience! She quietly pulled the duvet cover back and slipped out of bed, and into Serena’s en suite bathroom.  
A few moments later and she was about to get back into bed, when she stole a glance at the clock by the bed “Shit!” she said. She had forgotten she had promised to feed her neighbour’s cats after work today and now it was 8pm. She didn’t want to disturb Serena, but didn’t want to leave without telling her where she was going either.

Bernie sighed and bent down gently leaning over Serena and whispered in her ear “Serena? Serena? Sorry to wake you but I need to go and….”   
“Huh? Wha? Where…? What time is it?” Serena said, feeling confused having just woken.  
She opened her eyes and saw Bernie looking concerned. “Is everything okay? Are you going home now?” Serena said, sadly.  
“Sorry Serena I didn’t want to wake you, you looked so peaceful, but I just saw the time! I forgot I said I would feed my neighbour’s cats after work today, and it’s 8pm already! It’s dark out!”   
“Oh of course you must go…but…but…you can come back…after? Could you? I…I was rather hoping you would stay the night?” Serena said, suddenly feeling shy.  
Bernie beamed and said “I wasn’t planning on going anywhere, until I remembered about Frankie and Benny…”  
“What, you’re hungry”? Serena queried.  
“Huh?...What?” Bernie asked, wondering if Serena was still half asleep.  
“You said ‘Frankie and Benny’s’ – the restaurant? I thought you must still be hungry?” Serena said, feeling confused.  
“Restaurant? Ha ha ha …Oh yes…I’d never thought of that before….no….Frankie and Benny – that’s the cat’s names. After Frankie Howerd and Benny Hill I believe…..Mabel, my neighbour….she let her late husband name the cats and those were his favourite comedians apparently!” Bernie said, raising her eyebrows.  
“Oh I see!” Serena said, finally understanding what Bernie was on about.  
“Would you maybe consider…” Bernie tailed off mid sentence.  
“What?” Serena said, looking concerned.  
“Would you maybe consider coming with me…to Mabel’s house? Only it’s so quiet there, I don’t mind in the daylight, but it’s a bit spooky when it’s gone dark” Bernie said, looking sheepish.  
“Oh Bernie. I find it hard to imagine you being scared of anything” Serena said, smiling warmly.  
“But of course I’ll come with you, I don’t want anything to scare you…I don’t want anything to happen to you while you’re there…that…that stops you from coming back again…” Serena said, grinning.  
“Thank you Serena” Bernie said, kissing Serena lightly on the lips, and looking relieved.  
“Would you mind if I just popped into mine as it’s next door, I can just pick up a few things, and …and my old uniform that you wanted me to parade in for you tomorrow night!” Bernie said, winking.  
“Ohh yess I think we can do that little detour to yours Bernie, without a doubt!” Serena said. “Your clothes should be dry enough to put back on now I would think, I’ll just grab my tracksuit and trainers to throw on, and I’ll meet you in the laundry room in two secs honey.”   
“Thank you Serena….thank you for today” Bernie said, smiling. And then she turned and practically skipped down the stairs, she was so happy.  
Serena watched her until her lacy knicker-clad body disappeared onto the landing. She cast a glance around her room at her discarded high heels and suspender belt, and thought her jaw might lock she was smiling so much. She felt so happy right now, and it felt so good to be needed again by somebody.  
Serena rolled out of bed, and went straight to her wardrobe, and the shelf she knew she would find the tracksuit she was looking for. She had a few tracksuits of various colours and materials, all neatly folded on that shelf, but she picked up the matching bright red jogging bottoms and tracksuit top and slipped them on.  
‘Red for danger’ she said to herself, remembering what Jason had said earlier on that evening. She laughed quietly to herself, picked up her red trainers in one hand, her phone in the other, and slipped her feet into other shoes on the floor by her bed.  
She checked her room once more, walked to the doorway, turned the light off, and carefully came down the stairs to her laundry room. Just before she got to the room, she called out “Bernie? Are you ready? Were your clothes dry?”

Serena rounded the corner and pushed open the laundry room door “Oh wow…Bernie!” Serena gasped, not for the first time that day.  
Bernie had been doing up her boots, she straightened and turned around “Serena!” she said breathily, her mouth agog.  
Bernie was stood in Serena’s laundry room with her postal uniform back on, but her shirt still undone showcasing her full assets in their lacy red cups.  
“Let me help you with that…” Serena said smirking and walking up to Bernie to do up her shirt buttons.  
“The last time you helped me with my clothes Serena, they came off…” Bernie said with mock seriousness.  
Serena grinned, and raised her eyebrows. “I don’t remember you complaining…” she said, as she carefully and slowly did up each of Bernie’s shirt buttons, pausing after each button to flick her fingers across Bernie’s nipples from outside the shirt.  
“Oh you tease” Bernie said “We’re supposed to be going out, we’ll never leave yours at this rate! I thought you were putting your trainers on, not carrying them downstairs! …but oh…oh I’ll forgive you since you’re teasing me wearing your patent black heels again….” Bernie looked longingly at Serena’s ankles and down to her feet in those wonderful shoes. She licked her lips.  
“Ha ha I thought you might like another look at these” Serena said. “And Jason did say red was for danger, so I thought you might appreciate this tracksuit on me too” Serena said, pretending to be coy, as she slowly unzipped her tracksuit top halfway down to reveal she only had her lacy bra on underneath.  
“Oh believe me I do Serena, I do. But time is getting on, so come on, let’s go, it should only take us five minutes to walk around to Mabel’s. I’ve got her key with me. Feed the cats, then pop into mine for a change of clothes…and my uniform..” Bernie said smiling.  
“Then before you know it we can be back here and….” Bernie smiled.  
“…up to more mischief?!” Serena said finishing her sentence for her. “I like the sound of that!” Serena said, laughing. She kicked off her heels, and bent down to put her trainers on.  
“I hear you have an old uniform of your own as well?” Bernie asked, knowingly.  
“How…how do you know about that? “ Serena said, caught off guard.  
“Jason…” Bernie said. “Oh I might have known my darling nephew had something to do with that snippet of information! I’d been very careful not to let that old job be known about too much!” Serena said.  
“What can be so bad about wearing a uniform?” Bernie said, with a wicked glint in her eye. “Jason said you had been undecisive about throwing your old uniform away? So it must mean something to you?”.  
“Well it was a job where people weren’t usually very pleased to see you, so I didn’t do it for long. I quite like the jacket though it had lots of pockets so I kept it for that I suppose…but also…it was significant as my last ‘proper’ job before I became a full time writer. And I guess I just cant believe sometimes that I have managed to finally find a career that I love. It doesn’t feel like work. I feel very blessed.” Serena said. “Even more so now you’ve come into my life..!” she said smiling at Bernie.  
Bernie grinned back.  
Bernie didn’t want to press Serena on what job her uniform was for, she would tell her when she was ready she was sure, or else Jason would let it slip tomorrow night, she mused to herself.  
“Me too” Bernie said. “Thank you Serena…..Are you ready to go?”  
“Yes, almost. We both need a thick coat though. Let me just get a couple from the hall cupboard, and we’re good to go.” Serena said.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Overdue and not as long as I'd intended, but something to keep you going, apologies for the longer gaps between chapters!

Bernie waited in the hall while Serena disappeared into her cupboard under the stairs. There was a thud, and a crash and then “Aa f’kin ‘ell buddy thin!” exclaimed Serena, slightly muffled from deep within the cupboard.  
“Ha ha ha sorry, Serena, are you okay? What’s fallen?” Bernie asked, peering her head around the cupboard door into the darkness of the cupboard. “Where are you?! Isn’t there a light switch in here..?” she said, fumbling her fingers along the inside wall in vain.  
“I’m here…..under the pile of buddy coats!” said a little voice, as Serena managed to stick her hand out so Bernie could see her.  
“Oh there you are! Are you hurt?” asked Bernie.  
“No, they’re just huh-ee…” came Serena’s buried voice.  
“Hang on” Bernie said, clambering in “I’ll get them off you”  
“..anks..” said a muffled Serena.  
Bernie cast the coats aside, one by one, and had counted five before more of Serena’s body started to be visible. “How many coats do you own for heaven’s sake?!” said Bernie laughing.   
“Just a…” started Serena.  
“..few?” Bernie finished off her sentence. She bent down to help Serena sit up. “There’s eight here woman! Ha ha ha. Really! I don’t know, and I thought I was bad for not throwing things away if I can get another wear out of them!...Sorry, are you okay? What crashed?” Bernie said, concerned.  
“The thud was me tripping over an extension lead, I lost my balance and as I put my hand out to save myself I knocked the shelf with the hooks on….It came crashing down, sending the coats on top of me….Oh Bernie” Serena said, looking like she was about to cry, “thank heaven you’re here!”  
“Oh my, don’t be silly, if it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t have had to go in the cupboard in the first place! I’m sorry” said Bernie, placing a light kiss on Serena’s lips “Are you sure the shelf didn’t hit you?”  
“No it’s okay the coats cushioned me” Serena said, laughing then, at how ridiculous she realised she sounded.  
“Ha ha ha sorry Bernie, I must sound like a right diva, I’m usually much more capable, honestly”.  
“Ha ha, no problem. Right, let’s get out of the cupboard” Bernie said, guiding Serena out by the hand. “Which of these are long coats?..” Bernie said, holding the coats up one by one, for a suitable one for her to wear.  
“Aha, mm, I’m not sure how long this will be on me, but at least it’s a waterproof. I can’t hear it raining anymore but in case it starts again while we’re out, I think this one is the best the bunch for me, ha ha” said Bernie, as she held it up against her showing Serena which one she had chosen.   
“Ah yes my pvc black trenchcoat” said Serena “that’ll suit you!” she said smiling.  
“Pvc?! Serena! I’m shocked!” Bernie said with faux surprise. “I thought you were a sedate author with a penchant for cashmere jumpers!!”   
“Ha bloody ha! Yes I am that too Bernie. But I have always loved the pvc clothing and patent heeled shoes…and it’s been a LONG time since I’ve had a lover as I said, so I treated myself to some items I like the look and feel of, they make me feel good, when I’m on my own…” Serena said trailing off.  
“It’s okay, I’m not bothered what it’s made of, or what you do to make you feel good. Like I said I love patent shoes, and…if truth be told…I might have a penchant for certain materials too…leather yup definitely…and pvc I do admit to liking the look of too. “ Bernie said, as seductively as she could muster.  
Bernie took one look at Serena and could see her brain wandering off on some pvc fantasy, “Come on you, what coat are you putting on?” Bernie asked, raising her eyebrows.  
Serena smiled sheepishly “Well you’re the one that mentioned pvc…what effect did you expect the thought to have on me! I haven’t even worn that coat much, but I do like seeing you in it! Even being somewhat mismatched with your walking boots on! Still it’s dark so no one’s gonna see too much are they I guess….erm….I’ll wear my long black coat, that’ll keep me warm” Serena said, getting the coat on her.  
“Right, are you ready now Serena? Have you got your phone and your doorkey?” Bernie asked. Serena nodded to both questions. “Good” Bernie said, “and thank you again, for coming with me. I do appreciate it” Bernie said, opening Serena’s front door and stepping outside. She turned and paused waiting for Serena to lock her door, then without thinking reached for Serena’s hand to hold while they walked to Bernie’s neighbours’ house.  
It had stopped raining and the wind had dropped, but it was still a little cool in the Autumnal air. Bernie held the collar of the coat tightly together around her neck, and turned to look at Serena, as she could feel her tightly gripping her hand.  
“What?” Bernie asked, wondering why Serena was grinning. “Nothing” said Serena. “What are you grinning about Serena?” Bernie asked, starting to smile too it was infectious. “I’m just loving the fact that you grabbed my hand to hold” Serena said. “It…it was okay?...you didn’t mind?” Bernie asked, suddenly slightly worried. “Why on earth would I mind?” Serena asked. “You might not want your neighbours to see you holding hands with a woman?” Bernie said. “Well it probably will come as a surprise to most of them around here that I have a lover of any gender, let alone a woman, but heck believe me Bernie, I really don’t care what anyone thinks, and I just want to show you off to anyone who will look quite frankly. Thank you. I’ve never been so proud to hold hands with a girlfriend in public before. I love it…” Serena said, tailing off, feeling she was gushing a bit too much, and didn’t want to put Bernie off. She just realised she’d called her her girlfriend, when they’d only met at lunch time that day. A fact she still couldn’t believe to be true. She tried not to over think what she’d just said, and hoped that Bernie wouldn’t pick up on it, or object.  
“Your girlfriend eh?” Bernie queried, stopping in her tracks, which made Serena stop too.  
“Oh go on, run for the hills, while you can” Serena said nervously, feeling the colour rise in her cheeks as she wished the ground would swallow her up.  
“I’m going no where Serena, and neither are you I hope” Bernie said grinning. Bernie placed her free hand on Serena’s cheek. “Come here” Bernie said, as she leant forward and planted a deep kiss on Serena’s bottom lip.  
“Now come on” Bernie said breaking away. “Frankie and Benny will not greet us favourably if we don’t hurry up and feed them!” Serena looked worried, but Bernie smiled. Bernie strode off and Serena sought to keep up taking larger strides than she was used to. But she didn’t care what she had to do to stay with Bernie, Serena started swinging their arms back and forward, she felt so giddy and happy. Bernie smiled at her and then laughed a deep throated glorious laugh, that Serena thought she would never tire of hearing.


	16. Chapter 16

After about five minutes of walking, Bernie slowed and then stopped under a street light in front of a house, to look for Mabel’s door key in the pocket of her shorts.  
Serena stopped and looked at the house, as she tried to guess which side of Mabel’s was where Bernie lived. She had said it was a house-share but both houses looked pretty smart. ‘Not smart like my leafy suburb’ she thought ‘but still, smart for a house-share’. She laughed inwardly, and told herself off for being a bit of a snob. She knew she ought not ‘judge a book by its cover’ as the saying went, the look of the outside of something or someone, was very rarely the same as what was on the inside.  
“So which one do I live in then do you think?” Bernie asked, having seen Serena trying to second guess.  
“Oh er er I hadn’t thought” stammered Serena. Bernie raised an eyebrow at her and smirked.  
“I was just admiring how nice they all look. I can’t tell which would be the house-share you live in” Serena said.   
Bernie laughed. “You say house-share like it’s a bad thing Serena! We are all professionals you know. It’s not going to look like student digs! If it did I wouldn’t want to live in it either!”   
She was smiling however, so Serena hoped she hadn’t put her foot in it.  
“Actually it looks a bit familiar, this whole street, but I can’t think who I might know that lives here” Serena pondered.  
“Me” stated Bernie.  
“Well yes, now I know you live here. But I don’t know….it looks familiar for some other reason, but, oh I can’t think why. Right now, I’m somewhat distracted” Serena said, smiling at Bernie. “Anyway, have you got Mabel’s key? We’d better get to those cats hadn’t we?”  
Bernie held Mabel’s key aloft in front of Serena “Yes, this way” she called cheerfully, striding off towards the garden gate of the middle house “mind out for the brambles edging the path…and watch out for the slugs!” she laughed.  
“I thought you found it creepy coming here after dark!” Serena called after her.  
“It’s okay out here, I forgot the street lamp would probably be on. It’s just inside the house, the light switch isn’t right by the front door, and one of the cats have a habit of leaping at me when I go in.” Bernie called back.  
“Oh. Great. Now you tell me!” Serena said, more to herself than to Bernie though, as Bernie was now more than a giant leap ahead of her.  
Serena picked her way through the guard of slugs , keeping to the middle of the path to avoid the overgrown brambles. She reached Mabel’s front door, just as Bernie stumbled through it, tripping over Frankie as she crossed the threshold. “Oh bloody hell!” Bernie exclaimed. “Agh!” Serena shrieked, as she felt something bushy speed through her legs and out into the garden.   
“Ha ha ah well that was Frankie, he probably needed to wee” Bernie said, he’ll be back when he smells the food is out.  
“How do you know which one it was in this half light!” Serena asked curiously.  
“Well at a guess it was Frankie, he often does that, if he doesn’t throw himself at me first! Benny on the other hand is usually curled up asleep in a corner somewhere, and only makes an appearance once Frankie is out the way. She’s quite an aloof cat.”  
“She?” asked Serena “I thought they were both male cats?”  
“Well Mabel thought they were when she first got them, and her husband named them after the comedians. But one day Benny disappeared for a while, and then reappeared a couple of days later with four kittens in tow! But the name Benny had stuck by then.”   
"Ahh I see" said Serena, "where's that light switch then?"  
The room was suddenly bathed in bright lights, as Bernie found the switch having been fumbling her way along the wall opposite the front door. "Ta da!" she announced, "welcome to Frankie & Benny's" Bernie said, laughing.  
"Oh ha ha very funny" said Serena.  
Bernie unwrapped the black trench coat from around her, and carefully placed it on the back of a cream soft, but comfy looking sofa.  
Serena looked incredulous "Cream?" she said "With two cats?"   
"I know, I think it used to be the smart sofa, and then Mabel gave up once Frankie & Benny took ownership of it, ha ha ha" said Bernie, laughing at Serena's face. What she had seen of Serena's house so far, she suspected that even a human hair was not usually allowed to be seen anywhere on her furniture or carpets!  
Bernie strided off to Mabel's kitchen, as Serena sought to keep up.  
Bernie bent down to look in the cupboards for the cat food, as Serena admired the view!  
Bernie cleared her throat. "Yes?" Serena queried, smirking.  
Bernie raised her eyebrows, but was smiling.  
"So on the menu this evening, at Frankie & Benny's we av er le salmon, le tuna, or we have ze mussels..." Bernie said in a very bad accent.  
"Mussels?" queried Serena. "You have muscles Bernie....very fine muscles in fact...but I didn't realise they did mussels flavoured cat food, wow, that is posh!"   
"You like my muscles Miss Campbell? Ze are very fine muscles no?" Bernie said, flexing her arm at the elbow to show off her very finely toned arms.  
"Zey are very fine, due to all ze push-ups Ms Wolfe was asked to do in ze army, madame! Would madame like a to av a feel of my muscles?" Bernie asked as she slid her arms around Serena's waist.  
Bernie raised her eyebrows, questionning.  
"Ooh yes madame, I certainly do like the feel of your muscles Ms Wolfe" Serena said, revelling in the feeling of Bernie's arms tightly about her waist, and running her hands all over Bernie's back, feeling her muscles there.  
Bernie smirked, and couldnt resist planting a kiss on Serena's lips, before pulling away saying "Merci becoup madame. I will enjoy showing you ze uniform I wore for the army, and you being dominant and giving me some orders later on this evening Ms Campbell, no?"   
"Ohhh Bernie! Oui Oui Oui!!" shouted Serena, as she jokingly saluted Bernie.  
"But at this rate we'll never get away from Mabel's" Serena said, "where's Benny hiding?"  
"She's behind you" said Bernie.  
"Oh no she isn't" replied Serena, thinking Bernie was playing.  
"It's not panto season yet Serena" Bernie said, "Look, she is behind you, intently watching you from that armchair! She gets a bit protective of Mabel and I" Bernie said.  
"Now you tell me! Well she hasn't pounced on me yet, so I think I might be safe" Serena said.  
"Ha ha, safe from Benny yes, but I can't wait to pounce on you again Serena" Bernie said. She had a big grin on her face, and Serena couldnt quite place what the wicked look in her eyes meant, but she was fairly sure she would enjoy whatever Bernie had in store for her later!  
Bernie busied herself in Mabel's kitchen and got out two tins of tuna catfood, one for Benny, who got up and stretched and nonchalantly strolled over to where their bowls were. She looked like she wasn't bothered whether she had food or not. But as soon as Bernie's back was turned, and she was seeking Frankie's whereabouts, Benny had her head down and was quickly polishing off her bowl of food, before Frankie tried to eat hers as well as his.  
"Bloody males!" Bernie sighed. "Frankie? Frankie? Where are youuu?" she called into the front garden, as Frankie had yet to return to the house, despite the strong tuna smell wafting off the saucer she was holding in front of her.  
"Where does Frankie go?" she sighed.  
"To Hollywood?" Serena offered, smirking.  
"Oh ha bloody ha!" Bernie said, "it definately wasnt that Frankie that Mabel's husband was thinking of. I don't think 'Relax' was quite his music genre! Mine however, yes. But his, no." she said, looking sad for a moment.  
"Are you okay Bernie? Sorry I didn't mean to talk out of turn" Serena said, concerned she might have gone too far. She wasn't very good at making jokes, she mused to herself.  
"Oh heaven no, not at all. I was just quite close to Mabel's husband, well I still am to Mabel too. They were like surrogate parents to me. I knew them before I moved to this area. They helped me with a few things....they're good people." Bernie said, smiling.  
"But enough of all that" she said, putting the saucer for Frankie down by the front door. "We can't wait here all night for the flamin' cat, he has a cat-flap so will come in when he's hungry. And if Benny eats his first then that's his hard luck. He should have been quicker outside!"  
Bernie turned and walked over to where Benny was now sat washing herself back on the armchair. "You're a good pussy aren't you lovey. Yes I know" she said scratching behind her ears, as Benny purred happily. "I'll be back tomorrow to give you some more food then, okay?" she said. Serena wondered if Bernie was expecting Benny to reply somehow.  
"But for the rest of this evening I've got another pussy that needs tending to, ha ha" Bernie said, looking up at Serena, as suggestively as she could muster, as she put Serena's coat on again. "Bernie! I'm shocked!" Serena said.  
"Ha ha ha Ms Wolfe you're insatiable! ...But I like it!!" Serena said, holding her arm out for Bernie to take her hand.  
Bernie took her hand and grinned back. "Okay Ms Campbell, are you ready to meet my flat-mates? Be prepared they might be at home, as we pop in to collect my stuff. But they're gentle souls really. They dont bite!" she said, winking at Serena, and licking her lips.  
Serena gave Bernie a quick peck on the lips, smiled, and led her out of the house.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for continuing to follow this story and enjoy it, it means a lot x

Carefully picking her way through the brambles and slugs lining the path, Serena stopped mid way realising Bernie had loosened her finger grip, and was trying to pull her across the lawn.  
"Serena...this way" Bernie said softly. "We can cut through to where I live, there's a make-shift stile that goes over the fence. I use it in emergencies usually as it can be a bit ricketty. But it holds if you go carefully over it" Bernie said, smirking when she saw Serena's face pale.  
"Are you sure it will hold my weight?" Serena asked, slightly worriedly.  
"Weight? You? There's nothing on you woman!" Bernie said. "Anyway I'll go over first and will be there to support you over if you need it" she winked at Serena, who smiled in response.  
"There is..but that's kind of you to say Bernie, thank you. Okay, you go over first".  
Bernie strode across to the garden edge, and effortlessly swung her legs over the stile, and onto the patio the other side.   
"Well however I get over this, it was worth it to see your technique!" Serena said, smiling at Bernie who had turned around ready to support Serena.  
"Ha ha ha you're incorrigable Ms Campbell. I don’t suggest you swing your leg over it, I think my legs are longer than yours" she said, winking at Serena.  
"Yeah just a bit Ms Wolfe, just a bit!!" Serena said raising her eyebrows.  
"You can either sit on each step and go backwards one by one, swivel on the top step, and then come down this side forwards, one step at a time..." Bernie said, as Serena cut in with "Or?"  
"Or...you can walk up each step your side, and I'll swing you off the top step this side!!" Bernie said, with a huge grin on her face.  
"Swing me off?!" Serena said, "Is that a euphamism Ms Wolfe?" she said, trying hard to keep a straight face.  
"Ha ha ha, for once, no. Cheeky!" Bernie laughed. "Ready?" she asked.  
Serena nodded. She climbed onto the steps her side of the fence, but as she reached the third and top step she started to wobble, and put her arms out to each side of her, to balance herself. She reminded Bernie of a stunt woman from the Red Arrows display team or something along those lines; only not as balanced as they would be, Bernie laughed to herself. She reached up and grasped Serena's right hand. Serena couldn't help but smile at Bernie's strong but reassuring hold.  
"It's okay, I've got you" Bernie said.  
Serena smiled gratefully. For a moment their eyes locked, and amazingly, Serena thought, she seemed to be able to convey to Bernie what she'd like her to do next; as Bernie smiled and nodded her head slightly, and she reached up to Serena's other hand and held on tight while Serena stepped carefully down the steps of the stile on Bernie's side. As Serena got to the bottom step and was about to step down onto the concrete, Bernie lifted Serena all of a couple of inches to the ground, and 'swung her off' !  
"Ahh my knight in shining armour Ms Wolfe, thank you" Serena said, as she slid her arms around Bernie's neck tightly, and leaned in for a deep kiss.  
A muffled "Mmm my pleasure" came from Bernie, as she reponded to Serena's kiss.  
They were still lip-locked a couple of minutes later when they heard a man clearing his throat.   
Serena sprang backwards in fright, as Bernie without turning around, nonchalantly said "Yes Henrik? Can we help you?"  
"Oh don't let me disturb you Ms Wolfe. I can see that you are otherwise occupied at the moment with your guest. I was just letting you know of my presence, as I enjoy the night air, that is all" Henrik said, trying to keep a straight face, but inwardly smiling to himself.  
"I...er....er.. sorry...er.." stammered Serena, unsure who this slightly austere man was.  
"Serena, don't worry, we've nothing to be sorry about. Let me introduce you to one of my flat-mates. Serena this Henrik. Henrik, this is my girlfriend Serena." Bernie said, introducing them in turn.  
"I'm very pleased to meet you Ms Serena" Henrik said, smiling for the first time. Serena relaxed a little, and offered her hand, to shake his, which he took.  
"Likewise" Serena said "But please just call me Serena" she said.  
"May I be privvy to knowing your second name?" Henrik asked.  
"Ah I'm Ms Campbell" Serena said, "but please, no formalities required, Serena is fine" she said.  
"Henrik, please stop teasing Ms Campbell. She has only known me since lunch time today. You do know you don’t have to talk so formally the first time you meet someone socially. You’re not at work now.” Bernie said.  
“Now who’s being formal Bernie? Ms Campbell? Surely you call your girlfriend by her first name?” Henrik asked, his face almost a blank canvas except for the faintest smirk curling his lips.  
Bernie shot him a look that Serena couldn’t quite decipher.  
“Ms Serena Campbell…” Henrik mused.  
“Henrik!” Bernie butted in, seemingly warning him from saying any more.  
“Aha! Yes! I know that name…are you the same ‘Ms Serena Campbell’ who’s the award winning writer...you don’t live far from here I believe? You’re all our Bernie here ever talks about.” Henrik stated, winking at Serena.  
Bernie looked crestfallen, and couldn’t bring herself to make eye contact with Serena or Henrik.  
Serena put her arm around Bernie’s waist, reassuringly. “Yes, I am that very same writer, Henrik. But please don’t embarrass your friend here. Bernie has told me everything already. I am well aware she is a great fan of my writing….and I must say I am very pleased she has come into my life today.” Serena said, as Henrik sheepishly smiled his apology to Bernie, who had looked up, as Serena started speaking.  
“I realise we appear to have become ‘girlfriends’ rather more quickly than might be the norm, but at my age, I’ve come to realise why should I wait for things, if something makes me happy, why not grab it by the balls, so to speak, and enjoy it for however long it lasts…?” Serena said smiling.  
Henrik had grimaced slightly and moved out of their reach, at the mention of ‘grabbing things by the balls’. As neither of these fiesty ladies had actually done that to him in person, he hoped he still had a chance to endear himself to them.  
“I’m sorry if my musings caused offence Bernie. I was only teasing. I am glad you have finally found Serena, and it looks like you have lots of fun ahead of you, together” he said smiling.  
“Oh Henrik! I can never stay mad at you for long. You say it as it is. I have always liked that about you. I hope you will get to know Serena well too” Bernie said, blushing slightly as she cast a glance at Serena.  
Serena was beaming, and Bernie relaxed again.  
“I’ve just popped home to pick up a few things, so I can stay over at Serena’s tonight” Bernie said.  
“You’ve got a week off now haven’t you?” Henrik asked, fully knowing the answer.  
“Er er yes I have. But I don’t want to assume anything…” Bernie stammered, looking at Serena.  
“Well now you mention it Henrik, I was going to ask Bernie if she’d like…..if…if…she’s not busy with anything else…if…if…she’d like…” Serena paused, as Henrik cut in “If she’d like to stay with you for the week so the two of you can get to know each other even better?” he offered.  
Serena appeared shy once again but said “Yes Bernie, exactly what Henrik just said?”  
Bernie was beaming, and Serena relaxed again.  
In response Bernie flung her arms around Serena’s neck once more, and sunk her lips onto Serena’s.  
Henrik coughed again to remind them he was still there, but Bernie just waved her arm dismissively in his direction, and he laughed and went inside.


	18. Chapter 18

“Bernie! Finally you’ve moved on! Well it was two years ago we had our daliance, it was about time really!” this female voice exclaimed from behind Bernie.  
Yet again Serena sprang backwards in fright, at the surprise of someone appearing behind them.  
Bernie caught Serena by the hand before she stumbled over, turned on her heel to face their latest intruder and said “Jac. Henrik didn’t take long to spread the news I see” she said, rolling her eyes.  
Bernie turned back to Serena. “Serena, let me introduce you to Jac. Jac this is my girlfriend Serena” Bernie said proudly.  
“Girlfriend eh?” said Jac “that was quick work, my darling. But I’m very happy for you!”   
Jac caught Serena’s eye, as Serena’s face showed a mixture of confusion and jealousy.   
“I’m very happy for you both” she added. “You’ve got a good catch there Ms Campbell. Don’t worry you don’t need to be jealous of me, I don’t live here. And we weren’t ever serious, I just pounced on Bernie one time when we all had had one too many beers one evening, a snog is all it was I promise.” Jac said, trying to reassure Serena.  
“And all because you were trying to impress a man!” Bernie said “Henrik, no less. I mean really, how you thought Henrik would be moved by that I don’t know. Anyway…you got your man in the end” she added.  
“Yes, yes I did…and now you’ve got your woman” Jac said, smiling.  
Serena relaxed a little and looked relieved. “Yes she has….Pleased to meet you Jac” Serena said, leaning forward to shake Jac’s hand. “Any more surprises you have in store for me Bernie? We haven’t even got in the house yet?” Serena asked.  
Bernie had only just opened her mouth to speak when Jac cut in “No, no I don’t think there’s any more skeletons in Bernie’s closet…..Although she’s never let slip about her pvc fetish before..?” Jac queried, only now really taking in the trench coat Bernie was wearing over her uniform. “is this the latest item of regulation uniform provided by the Royal Mail?” she said winking at Bernie.  
Bernie found herself blushing slightly, even though there was no reason to.  
“Ha ha very funny Jac. It’s a long story, I just borrowed it today as I left my waterproofs here this morning” Bernie said.  
"Ohh...so the fetish is Serena's then?" Jac said, with a devilish smirk curling her lips. "I like it, I like it a lot ha haa" Jac said, winking at Serena.  
Serena wasn't sure whether to be flattered or embarrassed, or even whether Jac was being serious with them, so she just managed a faint smile towards Jac.  
Bernie shot Jac a look. "Okay okay I surrender. I'm sorry Bernie. And Serena. Henrik keeps saying I'm too blunt, and not everyone finds it as funny as I do. I'll be nice." Jac conceeded.  
Serena and Bernie still looked unsure. "I promise, I will, scouts honour" Jac said, giving a mock salute, trying to reassure them.  
"Aren't you due at work tonight Jac?" Bernie asked, wanting to move on from this encounter.  
"Yes, yes I'm on my way there now, I just popped in to make use of your conveniences, and to see Henrik to confirm times for our date tomorrow evening." Jac said. "Pleased to have met you at last Serena, I've heard so much about you....all good I promise" she said, winking at Serena, as she leant forward to shake her hand again.  
"Bye Jac. I'm sure you'll see us both again soon!" Bernie said, grasping Serena's hand tightly, and pulling her towards the house.  
They stepped through the patio doors into the lounge, and Henrik was sat in his rocking chair, with his back to them, watching an old black and white film. A low chuckle kept escaping his mouth, as though he dare not laugh too loud.  
“Bye ladies!” Jac called, as she stepped through the patio doors in time to see Bernie and Serena disappear down the hallway to Bernie’s bedsit at the back of the house.   
Henrik sighed and tutted, but motioned for Jac to come and sit with him a moment.  
A few strides later, and Bernie had reached her bedsit, but unusually for her, she was fumbling with the key in the lock.  
“Sorry about them Serena, Jac especially. There really was nothing between us…” Bernie said, sighing. “Agh what’s up with this key?!”  
“Oh there’s no need to be sorry, we all have our exes, and our daliances, they help make us who we are, and you’re not with them now, so that’s all that matters.” Serena said softly, sliding her arm around Bernie’s waist in an attempt to calm her.  
“Here let me try” Serena said, taking the key from Bernie.  
“Thank you Serena, what would I do if you hadn’t been here..” Bernie said, sounding relieved.  
“We’re only here now because of me. That letter you had for me….you would have been home long ago were it not for that!” Serena said softly, as she slid the key into the lock and turned the key with no problem. There was something blocking the door from being opened wide but after a bit of a shove, Serena got the door to widen, as she fell into Bernie’s room, and Bernie tripped in after her.  
“Aagh! What the…? What have I landed on?” Serena queried, feeling around her body and realising thankfully that nothing appeared bruised.  
“Ha ha ha sorry, I should have tidied up!....still, I got a soft landing….on you!” Bernie said, gently turning Serena’s head to face her.   
Serena then took in the fact that Bernie was sprawled over her, and they were both on Bernie’s floor. Well, on her clothes to be precise, that were sprawled around her floor. Serena realised it was a chunky zip that she had fallen on and was pressing into her in an area she’d rather Bernie’s hand was instead.  
Serena smiled broadly up at Bernie. “Would you mind just…?” Serena asked.  
“Moving that zip from your nether regions?” Bernie answered, chuckling.  
Keeping their eyes locked together, Bernie swiftly threw the item with the offending zip, her comfy rainbow hoodie, across her room, and before Serena could thank her for its removal, Bernie’s hand was back in Serena’s crotch gently rubbing her from outside her trousers.  
A smile curled on Bernie’s lips, as Serena began to writhe under Bernie’s touch.  
“Oh…ohhh…oh I see….you want to christen …your floor do you….?” Serena managed to say between gasps of pleasure.  
Bernie just smiled and raised her eyebrows in reply, as she slowly pushed her hand under the waistband of Serena’s tracksuit bottoms, and past her lacy knickers, and into her wet folds. She kept the palm of her hand pressing on her pubic bone and just tickled Serena’s bud lightly with her middle finger.  
“Ahh agh oh oh oh …Bernie…where did you…learn….to…do…thaaat, ohhh god, ohhh yes yes yes YES!” Serena struggled to get her words out, between her cries of ecstasy.  
Bernie couldn’t quite believe this was happening! She’d lost count of the amount of times she had pleasured herself in this very room imagining what it would be like to be with the woman of her dreams. And here they were! She hoped she wouldn’t disappoint Serena, and that she might not mind spending a bit of time here with her before they went back to Serena’s. Bernie made a mental note to put away her clothes the next time she left the house, even if she was in a rush for work this morning.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Only 9 days since my last chapter, that's fast for me, ha ha!

“Bernie! Bernie, wake up darling” Serena whispered in Bernie’s ear.  
“Wha…sorry…what…where..?” Bernie struggled to speak, wondering where she was.  
“We’re still on your floor Bernie!” Serena said softly. “I think I closed my eyes after you gave me such an amazing orgasm, and I must have fallen asleep, I’m so sorry! I woke up a few minutes ago to find you asleep on me….with your hand still between my legs….a lovely feeling to wake up to, I might add” Serena said, smiling broadly with a wicked glint in her eyes.  
“Ha ha ha, ahh yes, you did doze off, but I loved how rested you looked, so I stayed with you, with my thumb making small circles over your little bud, as you seemed to find it so relaxing!” Bernie said, returning her broad smile.  
Bernie moved her thumb over Serena’s slippery bud again, as she said this.  
“Mm ohh yes, it feels so nice. It’s like when someone strokes your hair, that’s a similar relaxing feeling” Serena said.  
“Only the hair I’m stroking here, we can’t do that in public” Bernie said, smirking.  
“Mm yes, well, maybe, but not so obviously, no” Serena said, chuckling. “It might get me noticed again though by the tabloids, my book sales would soar, ha ha ha”  
“I’m happy to do anything to help you in that respect Ms Campbell” Bernie exclaimed, trying to stifle a yawn.   
“Ha ha that sounds promising, but perhaps we should leave that til it’s better weather!” Serena said, smiling up at Bernie. “Come on, let me help you gather your things, and then we can get to bed, you must be shattered after being at work, and all our exercise today! Come to think of it it’s the most active day I’ve had in a long while too ha ha! Not that I’m complaining mind, but that’s partly why I woke you, my old back can’t handle lying on the floor for long, sorry.” Serena said.  
“Yes, sorry, as much as I would love us to truly christen my floor, I can’t trick my hips that I’m actually 30 anymore either.” Bernie said, struggling slightly to get up.  
Once she was upright, Bernie reached out her hand, to help Serena up. Having got up onto her knees, Serena took Bernie’s hand and pulled herself up to stand. Serena almost overbalanced and Bernie caught her with her other hand in the small of her back. They both chuckled, and Bernie placed a soft kiss on the end of Serena’s nose.  
“Thank you” Serena said, looking deep into Bernie’s eyes.  
“What for?” Bernie said, softly.  
“For coming into my life today. I’ve known you for a total of…” Serena looked at her watch to see what time it was now. “For a total of” she paused and laughed shaking her head “well less than 10 hours anyway…..I’m not usually one for theatrics but I have to say I think they have been the best hours of my life to date!”   
Bernie was beaming, “No really, thank YOU” she said. They both grinned inanely at one another, then laughed as Bernie’s smile turned into another yawn.  
“Come on what do you need? You don’t need to bring any towels you can use mine, and I’ve got new toothpaste and a brush at home you can have, always like to keep a spare of each!” Serena said.   
Bernie smirked, turned around and bent down to reach a box under her bed. “Nice view” Serena said. Bernie jokingly rolled her eyes as she faced Serena again. Serena laughed.   
“What’s in the box then?” Serena asked “Your uniform?” she asked hopefully.  
“Would Ms Campbell like to see me on parade now? Or shall I bring it to yours?” Bernie asked.  
“Mmm Ms Wolfe, you don’t know how much I would love to see you on parade now…” Serena said, then paused.  
“Oh I think I can guess” Bernie cut in.  
Now it was Serena’s turn to mock roll her eyes.  
“But would you mind bringing it to mine? That’s if you haven’t got too much to carry? I’m sure Jason would love to see you in it tomorrow night as well.” Serena asked hopefully, perching herself on the edge of Bernie’s bed.  
“Yes I was going to suggest that, so I can show it to Jason too. But I presume Ms Campbell will still want her private showing?” Bernie asked, winking at Serena as she said this.  
“As the Churchill dog says on those adverts ‘Ohh yes yes yes’ !” Serena said, laughing..  
“Right, I’ve got a trolley, I’ll put the box in that to wheel it to yours” Bernie said, turning to think where she had stored it in her compact bedsit.  
“A trolley?!” Serena exclaimed, “As in a supermarket trolley? Or an old ladies shopping trolley?!” Serena queried, looking confused.  
“Neither of those, sarky” Bernie said, “The sort of trolley you have when you go picnicking or camping, and you wheel your things to the site from your car!” she said.   
“Ahh right, I see now” Serena said, then added “simples!” in the voice of the Meerkat adverts.  
Bernie laughed.  
“Sorry I watch too much tv, too easy a distraction when I’m supposed to be writing!” Serena said.  
“Anyway, back to the trolley…I should be able to get a holdall on it as well, then we can wheel them both to yours, not lug heavy bags along the streets of Holby looking like lost tourists! Ha ha” Bernie said, laughing.  
Bernie carefully opened her wardrobe door as its contents threatened to spill out onto the floor. She bent down to retrieve the trolley off the bottom shelf, and a holdall off another, as she heard Serena quietly utter again “Nice view mm”  
“Ha ha you are incorrigible Ms Campbell, eyes front!” Bernie joked.  
“The front is a nice view too Ms Wolfe ha ha” Serena said.  
Serena was lying across the width of Bernie’s bed, her right hand resting under her chin, as her right elbow propped herself up.  
Bernie gently cast the holdall onto her bed, and Serena made sure it was open wide ready for Bernie’s clothes. Bernie opened her chest of drawers, and counted out a weeks worth of underwear, socks, Tshirts and shirts, and gently flung them, a few at a time, in the vague direction of her bed and Serena.  
Serena quietly sighed to herself but gathered up all the items and packed them quickly but neatly into Bernie’s holdall. Bernie gathered up her beloved rainbow hoodie, her trainers, and a long black puffa jacket, and then said “Ready!”.  
Serena laughed, then said “I thought the army made people really neat!”  
“It does, but now I don’t have anyone barking orders at me, I rebel in my own little bedsit!” Bernie said, smiling.  
“Thank you for packing my bag for me Serena….ah good it just squeezes in next to the box without squashing it” Bernie said, as she put her holdall in the trolley, along with her uniform box.  
Bernie held out her arm, Serena got off the bed, and took her hand. Bernie led her out of her bedsit, pushing the trolley in her other hand. She parked it by the front door, and went back to lock her door.  
“Let me just say bye to Henrik” Bernie said.  
Serena hung back in the hallway not wanting to disturb Henrik’s tv viewing. She watched Bernie stride into the lounge and put her hand on Henrik’s shoulder. Their chat was low and Serena couldn’t make out what was being said. Then Bernie stood and walked back to her, shouting over her shoulder “Night Henrik”.   
“Night Bernie. Night Serena, lovely to meet you. Take good care of Bernie now won’t you” he said.  
“Night Henrik, lovely to meet you too” Serena called back “ I will look after Bernie, don’t you worry” she added.  
Bernie burst out laughing. A cracking great laugh, as she saw Serena’s eyes, heavy with lust as she made the last comment about ‘looking after Bernie’. Bernie was looking forward to this! Maybe her weeks holiday was going to just about be the best one she had ever had without going abroad, she thought.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 3-4 hrs of writing/ editing this morning, and this is the result! Not what I had intended for the chapter at all when I started it!

Serena held the front door open for Bernie to get herself and her trolley out carefully down the front step. She gently bumped it down the curb, as Serena quietly shut the door.  
They walked arm in arm, in companionable silence, with the trolley trundling along behind Bernie.  
Suddenly Bernie stopped “Shit!....Sorry” she said. “I forgot to pack any trousers!”  
“Well I don’t mind if you just wear Tshirts for the week…” Serena said, getting lost momentarily in a dream thinking about Bernie’s lovely long bare legs.  
“I bet you don’t, but we might want to leave your house at some point in the week, and I’ll only have my shorts…” Bernie said.  
“You can gladly borrow any of my trousers…but mm they would look like cut-offs on you; shall we pop back to yours now?” Serena offered.  
“No, no it’s okay, it’s getting late now, sorry. I’ll have to pop to Mabel’s again tomorrow evening to feed Frankie & Benny, so I’ll pop into mine then if that’s okay?” Bernie asked.  
“Of course, that’s not a problem for me. I don’t have any plans this week, ah, well except for Jason & Frankie coming for dinner tomorrow night at 7.30pm” Serena said.  
“That’s okay I’ll be back in good time for that, I’d intended to feed the cats a lot earlier today than I did but I got happily distracted!!” Bernie said, smiling broadly at Serena.  
Serena grinned back at Bernie. “Come on let’s get home” Serena said.  
Bernie took Serena’s hand in hers, and they started walking again.  
\--  
A few minutes later and they were back at Serena’s ‘leafy suburb’.  
She was still trying to think why she recognised the street Bernie lived on, but nothing was coming to her, so she tried to put the thought to the back of her brain. The more she tried to remember something the less it came to her, she knew if she forgot about it for a while, her brain would randomly give her the answer later.  
She had a slight unease as to why it was recognisable, so was glad she could now think of Bernie living there, which was a pleasant reason for knowing it, and made her worry less.  
As Serena got to her front door, she was unusually nervous, and fumbled getting her key in the lock. She could feel Bernie stood close behind her under the porch, the feel of Bernie’s breath on her neck was making her excited again.  
She couldn’t remember the last time she had had so much sex in one day, but then again she couldn’t remember the last time she had had sex before today… well with someone else anyway!  
Bernie drew her finger down the length of Serena’s spine, causing Serena to gasp. Bernie smiled, and drew her finger further on down over Serena’s bottom, and then gave her cheeks a squeeze.  
“Ohh Bernie” Serena cried, and subconsciously pushed her bottom back into Bernie’s groin, “Oh god Serena, I want you” Bernie said, kissing the back of her neck. Bernie slipped her hand around Serena’s coat and found the waistband of her jogging bottoms.  
With Serena pressed up against her front door, Bernie gently slid her right hand into Serena’s knickers. She paused and whispered “Is this okay Serena? Being out here?”  
“Yes, don’t stop” Serena pleaded.  
Bernie cast a quick cautionary glance around the street that no one was near, then slid her left arm around Serena’s waist to get some purchase as she stood behind her. Serena put her left hand over Bernie’s holding her there. Serena drew her head back and Bernie peppered her neck with furious kisses, while her right hand explored inside her knickers.  
Serena was so wet already, so Bernie decided to slip a couple of fingers inside her. “Oh…my..word….yesss” Serena breathily whispered. Bernie moved in and out of her with ease, building up a rhythm, their hips rocking together enjoying their closeness. Serena’s front door was being knocked each time they thrust forward, Bernie laughed inwardly to herself, and hoped none of Serena’s neighbours would come out to see who was constantly knocking on her door.  
“Oh I’m nearly there! Don’t stop!” Serena cried, trying to do it quietly. “Uh uh uh uh oh oh ohhhh yes yes YES” she cried, gushing over Bernie’s fingers as she came. “Ohh wow….I’ve never done it out here before….never had fingers…inside…me…either” Serena just managed to say as she turned around to face Bernie, while trying to get her breath back.  
Bernie was beaming, and Serena sunk her mouth onto hers, and hungrily kissed her. “Thank you that was amazing. Now it’s your turn” Serena said.  
Bernie held up her right hand, offering her fingers to Serena. She was momentarily unsure, but then took hold of Bernie’s hand, and one by one sucked her fingers clean of her juices. “Oh I’m quite sweet aren’t I?” Serena remarked, seeming surprised.  
“Now, your turn” Serena said again. Serena turned her around so that Bernie had her back to the front door, and Serena was in front facing her, with her back to the street.  
“That pvc coat of mine, really suits you Bernie” Serena said lustfully, licking her lips. ”I’d love to see you naked with just that on though!”  
Bernie slowly undid her shirt buttons, and cast it open wide. Serena cupped her hands under Bernie’s bosom, and squeezed gently. Bernie grinned. Serena flicked her fingers over Bernie’s nipples from outside the bra “Oh oh ohh” Bernie almost whimpered. The next moment Serena swiftly pushed the bra up, releasing Bernie’s breasts. “Ohh” Serena and Bernie, both gasped at the same time.  
Serena dipped her head and sucked each of Bernie’s nipples in turn. Bernie raised her head, stretching her neck, and her eyes were hazy, this is divine, she thought.  
Out of the corner of her eye, she suddenly thought she saw someone in a skirt dart past a bush; but she didn’t want to stop Serena and if it was someone they either hadn’t seen them, or were enjoying what they could see! So long as her face didn’t end up in the local rag she didn’t mind if someone was watching, not that she had ever done this before, but she had thought about ‘what if’ many a time, and found it quite exciting.  
She realised Serena was moving lower with her mouth, and kissing a line down the middle of Bernie’s toned stomach. Serena reached the waistband of Bernie’s shorts and took them in her teeth. She was now stooping in front of Bernie, and looked up at her with questioning eyes.  
Bernie nodded it was okay to go further. Serena smiled and released the shorts from her mouth, she stood up again, and with a hand either side of Bernie’s waist, slid her shorts down to her ankles, and her lacy knickers fell with them. “Oh my” Serena gasped, taking in the beautiful view of Bernie stood there naked, up against her front door, as Bernie stepped out of her shorts and knickers.  
To think only eight hours ago Bernie was stood the other way, delivering her a letter at this very same door, and had put letters through her letterbox earlier on this morning. Serena knew she would now have this lovely memory every time she opened and closed her front door. She couldn’t believe how lucky she was.  
Bernie shuddered as a slight breeze wafted between them. Serena quickly pressed herself up against her, straddling Bernie’s right leg, and drawing the pvc coat around them both. Bernie smiled in thanks. Serena quickly found out where Bernie was warm though, as she reached her hand between her legs, and felt the instant burning in Bernie’s groin!  
“Well what do you expect Serena, this is hot as hell, being out here!!” Bernie whispered, in response to Serena’s raised eyebrows.  
Serena chuckled, and smiled broadly. Keeping her eyes locked with Bernie’s, Serena gently rubbed between Bernie’s legs. “Please…can you rub a bit harder” Bernie whispered.  
Serena moved her hand more, and slipped one then two fingers into Bernie. Serena hadn’t done this before but moved her hand the way Bernie had done to her. “Oh ohh oh oh oh yessss” Bernie almost whimpered. She let out a guttural groan, she was so near to coming.  
“Is everything okay there Ms Campbell?” a woman’s voice called from next door.  
Bernie froze. Serena froze, but kept her hand between Bernie’s legs. Bernie hastily pulled her shirt together doing up a couple of buttons. Though she realised this was fruitless as she couldn’t retrieve her knickers and shorts quick enough to cover up. Now she slightly regretted her actions, casting them aside, but that was what horniness could do to you, it took over your rational thinking.  
“Good Evening Mrs Petrenko, it’s okay I’m fine” Serena called back.  
“Are you sure dear? Frieda was just putting some rubbish out, and heard some funny noises outside yours?” Mrs Petrenko asked.  
“No no I’m okay. That was me sorry, I dropped my door key, and was cursing to myself, then my back hurt when I picked it up” Serena said, reluctantly moving her hand from Bernie, and turning around to shield her, should her neighbour look over the fence.  
Bernie inwardly groaned at yet again this evening, being left untouched so near to coming! She gathered her shorts and put them on, putting her knickers in her pocket. She did up her shirt and did the coat up around her.  
Bernie looked up, just as Mrs Petrenko’s worried face appeared at the top of the fence, between their properties.  
“Oh you have company. That’s fine dear, I was going to see if you needed a hand with anything. But it looks like you’ll be okay. “ said Mrs Petrenko.  
“Mrs Petrenko, this is my girlfriend Bernie. Bernie, this is my lovely neighbour who is always looking out for me” Serena said introducing them in turn.  
“Hello dear” Mrs Petrenko said, waving to Bernie. “Serena has such lovely girlfriends.”  
“Pleased to meet you Mrs Petrenko. Thank you for looking out for Serena.” Bernie called back, smiling.  
“Oh it’s no problem at all she’s like a second daughter to me. Well you girls have good evening. Good night” Mrs Petrenko called, as she backed down the steps she kept her side of the fence.  
“You have lovely girlfriends?!” Bernie jokingly asked Serena as she turned to face her again.  
“She means girlfriends as in platonic friends who are girls! As well you know..” Serena said smiling.  
“Sorry to stop at that point, come on let’s get you inside Bernie! I need to finish what I started, and then you will sleep soundly.” Serena said, planting a soft kiss on Bernie’s lips.  
“Yup I second that” Bernie said, stifling a yawn. “Come on give me your key”.  
Bernie opened Serena’s front door stepped inside, and Serena pushed the trolley in in front of her, and closed the door behind them. They laughed at the similarity of walking into Bernie’s bedsit, except here there was nothing to trip over.  
“Well done on retrieving your clothes so quickly! You’re getting to be an expert at this ha ha” Serena said.  
Serena put Bernie’s holdall across her body, and Bernie carried the uniform box. They left the trolley in a corner in the hall where it couldn’t be tripped over, and hurried up the stairs to the comfort of Serena’s bedroom.  
After putting the bag and box on her bedroom floor, Serena smirked and ordered “Right I need you to lie down now Bernie”.  
Bernie eagerly dropped herself down on the bed, and Serena crawled up the bed to join her. Bernie held her arms open aloft, saying “Come here” as Serena obeyed and sunk her lips onto Bernie’s once more.


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been over 3 months since the last chapter - life just gets in the way sometimes!

Bernie woke early the next morning. “Bugger!” she cursed to herself when she saw what time it was. She was so used to rising early for work it was difficult to break that habit the first day of her holidays she always found.  
But in the next split second she remembered where she was, and all that had happened in the past 24hrs.  
‘Not even 24hrs’ she thought to herself ‘I only met Serena after lunch yesterday!’ she mused, as the biggest smile crept across her face. ‘But it does feel like I have known her forever’ she thought.  
She rolled over and saw that Serena was mirroring her sleeping position, facing the other way. Bernie lightly traced a line down the middle of Serena’s bare back with her forefinger.  
Serena stirred slightly and Bernie hoped she would roll towards her, but instead Serena made a contented noise, licked her lips, and carried on sleeping, facing the other way.  
For a moment Bernie considered moving her hand further down Serena’s torso, to the heavenly delights she had found last night, but as much as that was very tempting, Bernie was actually as tired as Serena seemed to be.  
Even though Bernie felt she knew Serena very well already, previous experiences with girlfriends had taught Bernie a couple of things at least. For one, that no woman was the same in the morning as the night before; and two, a woman that had been woken up from a deep wonderful sleep, before they were naturally ready to wake, was not a woman you wanted to be near to when they did!  
Bernie laughed to herself ‘even if it was to be woken for sex’. Despite already being smitten, Bernie knew it was wise not to assume too much at the start of a relationship. Good communication was always the key. Ironic really that she now was a means of delivering communication between people, she still rated this often seen to be ‘dated’ form of contact.  
She still found there to be nothing sweeter than a love letter in the post from an admirer. Despite much micky taking from her colleagues and friends, she stood by this.  
Bernie lay watching Serena sleep, hoping she herself would fall back to peaceful slumber. But she knew, annoyingly, that once she was awake, she was awake, there was no going back, no matter how tired she was.  
Bernie sighed, took one last look at Serena’s beautifully smooth skin, and then carefully rolled back over and slipped quietly out the bed, trying not to disturb her.  
Bernie looked around for a robe to put on. She wasn’t used to sleeping naked, it had been a while since she’d had anything like a serious relationship. But she hadn’t felt coy as she once might have been, being seen undressed, even if it was by a lover. She unhooked Serena’s silky Japanese-style gown off the back of the bedroom door. It was patterned with big bold black, white and red flowers. The silky material was a bit cool to the skin, and came up rather short on Bernie, but it would suffice for now.  
She pulled on her thick walking socks, and then padded downstairs as quietly as she could.  
While Serena remained cosily unaware she was now alone in bed, Bernie was in her kitchen deciding whether to rustle up some breakfast for them both now, or nip home first and get her trousers!  
While it was still early she hoped there would be less people about to see her, in that odd combo of pvc coat, shorts and walking boots!  
First she made herself a cup of tea, she always needed a cuppa before she started her morning rounds. Tea in hand, she sat astride the kitchen stool, and soon became lost in thought about what they had got up to when she had last sat here yesterday afternoon. Her lips spread into a huge smile and she laughed out loud, quickly covering her mouth with her left hand, for fear her laughter would wake Serena.  
She could imagine Henrik telling her now that she wasn’t sitting very lady-like, especially with such a short robe on. He’d give her a supposedly disapproving look and then burst out laughing, saying ‘ooh matron’ or some such similar Carry On film, line. Bernie was glad she had found such a good house mate. He was nowhere near as austere as his colleagues seemed to think he was. At home he was such a character and always had a mischievous look in his eye, Bernie had discovered. When they both started laughing at something there was no stopping them, in fact they made each other worse.  
Before she could change her mind again, she leapt off the stool, put her cup in the sink, and scribbled a note on a pad she found on the work top. She ripped the top sheet off and took it upstairs with her.  
Serena was still in a peaceful slumber and Bernie was slightly jealous that she was able to sleep in so easily. But she thought Serena does have a more sedentary job than me so I guess she is used to making up her own hours at home.  
Bernie leant over and kissed Serena softly on the cheek, then carefully placed her note tucked just under the pillow so Serena would find it when she woke. Bernie had added her mobile number at the bottom, so she could contact Bernie if she wanted before she got back.  
She slipped out of the silky robe and picked up her discarded clothes of the previous evening, they had been shed rather hurriedly after their door-step antics!  
Boots on, pvc coat over the top, she picked up her mobile, her house keys, and some money.  
She closed the front door quietly behind her and looked at her watch. 8am. ‘Right, I’ll jog home, pick up some skinny jeans, other trousers, and anything else I’ve forgotten. Jog back here, should be less than half an hour. Then I can wake Serena with breakfast’ she thought.  
Bernie looked up at the sky and was pleased to see it was dry although not very bright. ‘But that’s just fine, the less people that spot their postie jogging the better! I’m not going to start jogging when I do my deliveries!’ she laughed to herself.  
Serena was dreaming about cats running amok, then a man suddenly appeared from no where and asked if he could post a letter to Mrs Petrenko, next thing she knew she was at her own front door trying to write her novel on the letterbox and wondering why the ink kept running.  
As her brain tried to make sense of the dream, Serena realised she was now awake. ‘Wow that was a weird dream even for me’ she laughed to herself. A lot of her dreams had been the basis or bare thread of her stories. But this one….’oh yeah’ she thought, everything suddenly fitting into place!  
She smiled remembering the events of yesterday, and stretched out her arms to feel for Bernie in the bed.  
She moved her arms wide searching, and for a moment panicked, as she wondered where Bernie had gone. She hoped she hadn’t frightened her away somehow. Then her fingers touched the edge of the note, and she opened her eyes, to read.  
Having read the note, Serena wondered why her jaw aches, and then realises she had been grinning the entire time. Her lovely Bernie couldn’t sleep, so wanted to nip home now for her trousers, so she could make the most of her day with Serena before the meal with Jason and Frankie tonight.  
Serena reached for her phone to text Bernie, so she knew she had got the note.  
“Good Morning Bernie my love. Don’t be long, I miss you already. I’ll stay in bed til you ring the bell, like you said, thank you. Take care”  
Serena paused, wondering how many kisses she should end the text with? Then cursed herself for being daft and typed “XXX” . She double checked Bernie’s number as she keyed it in and then hit send.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 2 days later and here's the next chapter!

It felt like she had only closed her eyes five minutes beforehand, but next thing Serena knew she was stirred from her dozing by a noise. At first she couldn’t place the noise, then it sounded again and she realised it was her doorbell. And who would be stood the other side of her door. She shot out of bed and realised her Japanese-style dressing gown was not hanging behind her door where she always left it. Her eyes quickly scanned the bedroom for it, but she couldn’t see it. ‘Oh well’ she thought ‘I can’t leave Bernie standing on the door step any longer. I’ll just go like this!’ she smiled, wondering when she last had had an ounce of this confidence she was experiencing since meeting Bernie.  
Serena had never sped down her stairs faster in all her life. In fact she stumbled slightly and missed the bottom step she was so eager to answer the door. “Bugger” she said loudly, as she stubbed the toes on her left foot.  
“Serena? Are you okay?” Bernie called from outside.  
“Ha ha yes, I am now you’re back” Serena said as she coyly opened her front door slightly, and peeked her head out. “Are you on your own?” she said.  
Bernie looked a bit puzzled, “Yes of course I’m on my own Serena. Why are you being coy?” she said, as she spotted Serena’s breasts squashed under her armpits to avoid showing her nipples.  
“That’s okay then” Serena said, as she stepped back and opened the front door wider.  
“Oh my. Serena. Oh. God you are beautiful” Bernie gasped, dropping her gear on the hallway floor, in shock at being greeted by her naked lover.  
“I am….I mean, am I? really? Thank you my darling, thank you, I don’t know what your secret is but by god these last 24hrs have been amazing. I’ve never felt this good in my life….ever” Serena said, as she reached up to place her hands on Bernie’s face, and drew her in for a slow sensual kiss.  
“Mmmm” came from Bernie’s mouth, as she deftly hooked her right foot back and shut the front door, while her hands reached around Serena and landed on her bottom.  
As they paused for breath, she said “We don’t want Mrs Petrenko coming out to see what all the commotion is again by your front door!” she said laughing. “Although I’m sure it was her daughter I saw watching us at the door last night” she said, winking at Serena.  
“Was she?” Serena asked, a little shocked, but also a little turned on at this idea. Especially when she remembered all they had done up against the front door.  
“Hey” Serena said, “Before you cook our breakfast, and thank you for that by the way,…why don’t we christen the inside of my front door? It might be feeling a bit left out…” she said, smirking.  
“Oh really, doors have feelings now do they?” Bernie said, rolling her eyebrows, amused.  
Before Serena could respond, Bernie had swiftly turned twirled her around, so that Serena’s back was up against the inside of her front door, and Bernie was facing her.  
Bernie stood with her legs slightly apart, she still had the pvc coat on. Serena couldn’t wait to see her naked again with just the coat and boots on. Oh. Oh yes and her uniform! She had yet to do parade for her in that either. Oh my. Well today was going to be another great day, Serena thought. She also wondered if she would be able to stand tomorrow, but she didn’t have any appointments this week, so ‘frankly’, she thought ‘I don’t care!’.  
Bernie nudged her right leg between Serena’s legs. “Oh” gasped Serena.  
“Ohh yesss” Serena starting moaning, as Bernie pushed her thigh against Serena’s crotch more urgently. With steady rhythm she continued like that, while her fingers pinched and flicked at Serena’s nipples in tandem.   
In the odd moments when Serena wasn’t groaning, Bernie dipped down and kissed her hard on her lips, dipping her tongue inside and exploring her mouth hungrily.  
As Serena was getting hotter and wetter, she grabbed at Bernie’s hands, and urged her to replace her thigh with her fingers.  
Bernie smiled wickedly and said “All in good time”. Bernie laced her fingers through Serena’s and spread their arms out to each side. Bernie kept her thigh between Serena’s legs but lessened the pressure, while she peppered Serena’s collarbone with gentle licks, and then kisses, and then kisses which went up the side of her neck and behind her ears, each one in turn. While her warm breath prickled Serena’s skin, in a way she’d never felt before.  
“Oh oh oh ohh goddd, how do you do thaatt?” Serena said breathing heavily. “That’s …pleasure …and… torture… all… in …one!” she just managed to pant out.   
Bernie leaned back slightly and beamed at Serena, but she also had such a wicked glint in her eyes, Serena thought.  
“Oh my” Serena uttered, as such felt Bernie’s thigh push more urgently again on her crotch. Serena instinctively opened her legs wider. Bernie smirked, and continued rubbing her thigh harder and faster against Serena, she flattened her body up against Serena so there was barely any air between them, while Serena enjoyed the added sensation of Bernie’s shirt buttons giving slight friction against her naked breasts.  
“Oh god oh god oh god ohhh oh oh oh oh yessss yesss yesss oh ohhh oh my god oh oh my ohhh” came Serena’s cries as she came, hot and wet on Bernie’s thigh.  
Bernie smiled, satisfied she had shown her new lover another way to have pleasure without using your hands.   
Bernie now removed her thigh, and slid her right hand down Serena’s stomach and in between her legs. Her bushy pubic hair was soaked through. Serena’s thighs were on fire. While keeping direct eye contact with Serena she gently slipped two fingers inside her, and then added a third. She didn’t move her fingers, but used her thumb to flick over Serena’s slippery clit.  
Serena raised her eyebrows questioning Bernie.  
“I’m just giving you a taste of this for later!” Bernie said smirking, and then withdrew her fingers in an instant and drew her fingers under her nose. “Mmm you smell so sweet Serena” she said, wafting her fingers under Serena’s nose “see?” she asked.  
Serena breathed in “mm interesting scent, I don’t smell too bad do I?” she said, laughing.  
“No you don’t Serena. I love the smell of hot wet….” Bernie started to say, but tailed off.  
“What’s the matter?” Serena asked.  
“What’s that peeking out between your legs?” Bernie asked.  
“Well you should know you’ve just been pleasuring it!” Serena said, slightly bemused.  
“No, no, Serena, look, …‘you’ve got mail’” Bernie said. “I definitely didn’t deliver that, my skills are not that good!” she said, laughing.  
Serena peered down between her legs and saw an envelope peeking out.  
“When the….what…when was that delivered?!” Serena said.   
“I didn’t see anyone coming to the door, but then they might not have heard our antics and just slipped the letter in and gone on their way…” Bernie said.  
“Might not have heard our antics? The way my arse was banging against the door each time you thrust harder, I think not Bernie. Ha ha ha ha ha oh my. “ Serena said and then laughed imagining what they must have sounded like on the other side of the door!  
Bernie bent down and retrieved the envelope from its hiding position. She turned it over and read the name on the front out loud “Mr R. Edward…….it’s your postcode, but not this address!” Bernie said.  
“Not another one!” Serena said, “ I still have the one for him, you delivered to me yesterday morning!”  
“Ha ha ha ha oh sorry. We can stick them back in the box later, saying not at this address. Oh ha ha ha I’m curious now which of my colleagues has picked up my rounds this week. Mm I wonder if they will fess up if they heard us or not. Oh my, ha ha ha” Bernie said laughing.  
Serena was laughing too, she didn’t mind having this kind of reputation locally. Heck she hadn’t had any kind of reputation for a long time, and she was old enough not to care what people thought of her anymore. And what went on behind closed doors ….and outside front doors in the dark….was their business only!!  
“Right, as much as I love seeing pinky and perky you look like you’re getting a bit cold now Serena?” Bernie said.  
“Yes a little, I couldn’t find my Japanese-style dressing gown earlier, that’s why I answered the door naked. I’ve never been so bold before!” Serena said, grinning.  
“Ah yes sorry. I borrowed it first thing, and then left it on your bedroom floor when I got dressed. It must have slipped just under the bed.” Bernie said, pretending to look sheepish. “But in hindsight, though I know you like to be tidy…..my actions did have amazing consequences for us both!” she said, raising her eyebrows again and smiling.  
“Ha ha ha oh you!” Serena said, pretending to be cross with Bernie. “I’ll just put the heating on then I’ll slip back into bed and wait for m’lady to bring me breakfast in bed then shall I?” Serena asked.  
“That you shall, m’lady. And if Madam is very good and waits patiently for it, I shall show you my uniform after that!” Bernie said.  
“Oh yes ma’am, yes I shall wait patiently, and look forward to that!” Serena said.  
“Can I just make one small request?” Serena asked.  
“Yes?” Bernie said questioning what it might be.  
“Just don’t be too long, because you might have to wake me up again. I’ve not had this much sex in….ever, and though I am loving it and loving you being here, and I wont say no to more later….I’m so tired Bernie! “ Serena said.  
“No problem, ditto to what you’ve said, and I am also knackered!! Maybe we’ll have time this afternoon for a nap together, so we can recharge for being witty hosts this evening?” Bernie said, smiling.  
“That sounds perfect” Serena said. They shared a soft longing kiss, and then Serena went upstairs. Bernie watched her go. “Stop looking at my arse Ms Wolfe!” Serena said when she reached the landing.  
“Ha ha ha ha haaa” Bernie laughed, as she turned to pick up her gear and head into the lounge and kitchen area.


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little shorter than planned, but wanted to keep up the momentum of not taking too long to update the story!

Bernie dropped her gear in a corner of the lounge, then remembered she still had her walking boots on, and quickly went back to the hallway to shrug them off, leaving them abandoned on the door mat.  
She caught sight of the inside of the front door, and smirked.  
Then she looked down at her thigh and saw a small dark damp patch on the leg of her shorts. She was glad she was now on holiday for a week, so she didn’t have to rush to wash off Serena’s scent.  
‘Talking of which’ she thought, and took a deep breath smelling her fingers. “Mmmm” she said aloud. She knew from pleasuring herself that the delightful scent could last on your fingers for days, no matter how many times you washed your hands. She just stopped herself from saying ‘Ah Bisto’ like the old advert. ‘Yes food and sex could be mixed’ she thought ‘but not gravy. Gravy isn’t sexy!’. She laughed to herself, and padded into the kitchen in her walking socks.  
She was about to call up to Serena to ask what she would like for breakfast, but she decided to look in Serena’s fridge first for some inspiration.  
She recalled having to get on her haunches last night to retrieve the ice cubes, so deduced that the fridge was the top half of the unit. Bernie pulled open the fridge door and let out a loud “Ha ha ha ha haa”. Some how she’d expected Serena to have a well-stocked full fridge. However there were only four items within.  
A big box of free-range eggs.   
A near-full carton of skimmed milk.  
A dish with a slab of a rich yellow locally made butter.   
A chunk of locally made cheese; and a post-it-note tucked partially underneath it.  
Bernie curiously picked up the note, and read ‘Note to self, home made bread is in the pantry’.  
Instantly Bernie thought how much Henrik would approve of Serena’s notes to herself. And how much Jac would take the mickey of it.   
Bernie then remembered that they had used a lot of vegetables last night for their risotto, and to be fair Serena hadn’t been expecting a day guest yesterday, let alone one who was now staying for the week. Serena had planned to do her food shop today ready for her dinner guests this evening.  
Mentally weighing up the options of what she could cook for their breakfast, Bernie grinned as she had a brain wave.  
She took 5 eggs out of their box, set them aside on the counter, and shut the fridge again.   
She turned and looked at the kitchen cupboards, trying to decipher which one was the pantry.   
Gut-instinct told her surely it would be the cupboard nearest the fridge, and she smiled when she found she was correct. She was relieved to find out the bread had already been sliced as well, as she knew her cutting skills were…..well she knew most people took the mickey out of the door step sandwiches she made herself for work.  
Whilst Bernie was creating her breakfast masterpiece in the kitchen, Serena was lying in bed thinking about her old uniform.  
She knew that her uniform had never been described as a sexy uniform before. She had never liked the way it hung on her, and it had always looked slightly too big, even though it was supposed to be her size. She did like the hard black boots they had to wear, and the peaked hat, but she would have rather worn overalls, than the trousers and jacket that made up her uniform. Any other outfit and her ‘clients’ might have warmed to her more.  
She hadn’t kept her uniform because she was fond of it, or that she liked the job. She hadn’t liked much about it at all. Except that she got to spend time in the fresh air, see different people, and earnt just enough money to keep plodding on with what became her debut novel, in just about all of her spare time.  
It was like she had told Bernie it had been her last job before she got noticed as a writer and became self-employed. She supposed she hadn’t quite let go of it yet because she still found it hard to believe she was able to earn her living doing what she loved most – writing.  
She now self published but it was hard work doing everything herself. She would have preferred to have a deal with publishers again, but despite always writing, all she’d been getting in reply to sending her drafts to publishers lately, was ‘thanks but not at the moment’ refusals. She wasn’t “on trend” enough apparently.   
Her debut novel in 2012 had been a best seller, but it had taken her ten years to be ‘an overnight success’. But she had always strove to be the best she could. She hadn’t given up on her dream of writing.   
Buoyed by the success of her debut novel she had turned to self publishing when the deal she had won in a writing competition had expired. She had published a novel every year since then, all through self publishing, and sales had been good at first. She now knew at least one person who had read and enjoyed her books – her beautiful Bernie.  
‘Blonde bombshell Bernie’ Serena mused to herself, ‘Beautiful blonde bombshell Bernie’ she thought. ‘Beautiful boobies, breakfast-baking blonde bombshell Bernie’ she added, laughing to herself. She loved playing with the English language, and the use of alliteration. But most of all, she realised now, she loved playing with Bernie.  
Serena relished this new-found confidence she had, since she had been spending time with Bernie. She was hopeful for the future, and she didn’t want to worry too much about her writing, she was sure something good would happen soon. She’d already decided she would unofficially take a rest from writing this week, since Bernie was now staying.  
Whilst musing this Serena got out of bed and reached under it for the box that contained her uniform. If Bernie was going to parade in her uniform for her, the least she could do was do the same in hers. ‘Maybe we can get changed at the same time and then do a big reveal, ha ha to each other’ she thought ‘but I’d better keep my lacy underwear on underneath or it really wont look sexy in the slightest’.  
“Knock knock, are you decent?!” Bernie called out from the other side of the bedroom door.  
Bernie pushed open the door before Serena could respond, and gasped when she saw Serena.   
She was on all fours, naked, tucking a box back under the bed.  
“WOW that’s amazing, you’re mirroring what I’ve done for breakfast, ha ha ha, well partly, ha ha” Bernie said laughing.  
“Wha? Oh Bernie. I was just putting my uniform back within reach for later” Serena said, turning around and winking at Bernie.  
“What have you made for breakfast then that looks like my bottom??!” Serena asked curiously.  
Serena eyed the big tray Bernie was carrying, it had a large tea cloth over the top to conceal the breakfast.   
“Aha well you’ll have to wait and see, won’t you” Bernie said “Now please get back into bed madam, and then I will serve you” she said.  
“I can’t wait for that” Serena said, “but I thought we were having breakfast first!” she said.  
“Oh ha ha” said Bernie “cheeky!”.  
Serena did as she was asked and got back into bed. She was sat up with the duvet pulled up over her breasts. Though why she needed to be coy about being naked, now, she wasn’t sure, she laughed to herself.  
Bernie set the tray down on Serena’s side of the bed. “Close your eyes Serena” she said.  
Serena closed her eyes. Bernie whipped the tea cloth off the breakfast and said “Right, now you can open them. Ta’da!”  
Serena opened her eyes and was delighted with what she saw. Bernie had made a masterpiece with those 5 eggs, and 2 slices of bread. “Oh ha ha ha, Bernie, that’s amazing, you clever thing. Oh you’ve put so much thought into it. Thank you. Come here” Serena said, and reached up to give Bernie a soft kiss on her lips.

 

(The breakfast and more shall be revealed in the next chapter, coming soon!)


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is my longest chapter yet I think, and it went ways I never thought it would at the start, ha ha, but I hope you enjoy it. Please comment if you liked it x

Bernie beamed at Serena, pleased that her brainwave had been well received. She stooped down and picked up Serena’s silky robe that had fallen just under the bed earlier. Keeping eye contact with Serena she carried it pinched between her thumb and forefinger of her left hand, back to the other side of the bed. Bernie let it slip from her fingers and onto the duvet. Serena sat agog, watching her.  
“What would you like me to take off first Serena?” Bernie asked as huskily as she could manage.  
Serena couldn’t believe her eyes, and just about managed to point and croak out “Shirt please”.  
Bernie smiled, started as though she was going to slowly undo her buttons, but then reached under the hem and quickly pulled it up over her head, whipping it off and flinging it across Serena’s bedroom.  
They were both beaming at each other. “Next madam?” Bernie asked.  
“Your shorts?” Serena said, only now casting her eye down and seeing the damp patch she had made on the leg of them. Bernie swiftly pulled them down, stepped out of them, and gently flung them towards Serena, who laughed as she caught them.  
“And for your next move, madam?” Bernie asked. Serena leant forward slightly to get a better view, she was enjoying this game.  
“Your left sock?” Serena suggested. Bernie laughed, but nodded her head in agreement.  
Bernie whipped round and bent over, keeping her knees straight.  
“Oh!” gasped Serena, enjoying the view before her of Bernie in her lacy red underwear. ‘God she’s got good hips!’ Serena mused to herself.  
Bernie paused for a split second trying to work out how to seductively take a thick walking sock off! Stockings she could do, but socks? This was new territory to her!  
In order to cover up her hesitancy, and give her a moment to think, Bernie drew her hands up the inside of her legs, starting from her ankles and working her way up to her thighs, and then back down again.  
“Oh!” Serena gasped again. Bernie smirked, pleased this was having the intended effect on Serena.  
Bernie rolled the leg of her left sock down and over her heel, before lifting the toe of her foot, and the toe of her socks to pull, stretching the sock off her foot.  
“Ta-da!” she said, twirling back around with her hand in the air, holding her sock aloft. Inwardly she was pleased but amazed she had managed to pull that off relatively seductively! She flung the left sock across the bedroom to join her shirt.  
Serena applauded her, and they both laughed. “Would madam like my right sock to join my left one now?” Bernie asked, poised ready to twirl around again.  
“In a moment madam, one needs to recover after seeing that wonderful view. Next I would like you to take your…..bra off please” Serena said, winking at Bernie.  
Bernie winked back, and walked on tip-toe to avoid the walking sock-limp, to Serena’s side of the bed. She looked deep into Serena’s eyes, perched on the edge of the bed and reached for Serena’s hands. She placed Serena’s hands one on each breast. Bernie’s lacy bra-clad breasts. Bernie then lifted her bra outwards slightly and encouraged Serena to slide her hands onto Bernie’s bare breasts. This Serena did willingly, cupping Bernie’s breasts, a handful each.   
Bernie reached behind her and unhooked her bra, brought it forwards, and let it slide over Serena’s hands and into her lap. Serena smirked and licked her lips. She gave Bernie’s breasts a quick gentle squeeze, and then playfully pinched her nipples before letting go.  
Bernie smiled, stood up, but stayed at Serena’s side of the bed. “What would madam like me to remove next?” she said, as she stood with her feet, hips width apart, and her hands on her hips.  
Serena eyed her up and down appreciatively and smiled. Bernie was stood before her naked, but for her right sock and her lacy red knickers. “Your right sock now please. I’d love to see that view again” Serena said, grinning.  
Bernie twirled around, swiftly bent down, but then straightened herself back up again, and swiftly twirled back to face Serena. “Oh” said Serena, slightly sad that she had done that so quickly and not removed her sock in the same way as the other. “Sorry have I said something wrong?” Serena asked.  
Bernie smiled to reassure her. “No of course you haven’t Serena. I just thought of another move for this sock!” she said, winking at Serena again. Serena smiled as she saw Bernie lifting her right leg onto the edge of the bed, by Serena.   
Keeping eye contact with Serena, Bernie leant forward sliding her hands down her bare leg, until she reached her ankle. She rolled the leg of her sock down to and up over her heel. Then she motioned for Serena to pull her sock off the rest of the way, Serena obliged.  
“Ta-da!” Serena said, as she slid Bernie’s sock off and flung it across the room to land on her chaise-longue, with her other discarded sock, and her shirt.  
“Ha ha ha” Bernie and Serena laughed together.  
Bernie put her foot back on the floor, straightened and moved her hands to the waist band of her knickers.  
“No wait, please leave them on a bit longer, would you?” Serena asked. “If you take them off now I will have no choice but to ravish you, and as much as I would love to do that….by god I would…you turn me on so much…….but I don’t want your breakfast masterpiece to go cold darling” Serena said.  
Bernie smiled, nodding her head agreeing. She picked up and hung Serena’s robe back on the hook on her bedroom door, before sliding into bed joining Serena.  
“Thank you for that show Bernie that was really fun” Serena said, kissing Bernie softly on her lips, and then turning her attention back to the breakfast.

Before she’d carried it upstairs, she’d taken a quick photo of the breakfast on the tray and posted it on her private Instagram page, with the caption “The Language of Letters – together at last” followed by two smiley emoticon faces.  
Henrik was the first friend to ‘like’ her post. He had been awake a while too, and was sat in their breakfast room, reading his newspapers, and absent-mindedly eating his marmite on toast. He was quick to post a reply “Ah tis the fallen Madonna with ze big boobies, you minx. So happy for you!”  
“I can’t think why two soft boiled eggs would make you think of my bottom, Bernie!” Serena said, playfully.  
“Ha ha, well actually they were intended to represent your ample lovely bosom my dear!” Bernie said, laughing.  
She had cooked two soft boiled eggs, drawn nipples on the bottom of each, and then served them in two egg cups, side by side on a plate. They mirrored Serena’s ample bosom very well, Serena agreed to herself.  
“And as for this! I’m so honoured Bernie! No one has ever made a model of one of my novels ….oh ha ha, I’m a poet and I didn’t know it!” Serena said, amused.  
On the other plate on the tray, there it was, two slices of eggy bread, cut like an open book, and decorated with the letters “A novel by S C” written on with drizzled brown sauce!  
Taking care not to unbalance the tray, Serena leaned towards Bernie, put her hands either side of her face, and said “You” and kissed her on the lips, “Are” and kissed her again, “Amazing” and kissed her again, keeping their lips joined together for much longer on this third kiss, before letting go, and looking up into Bernie’s smiling eyes.   
They grinned at each other for what felt like a long time but was actually only a few seconds, before Bernie’s stomach grumbled and they both laughed.  
“Come on, let’s get this eaten! You’ve been very active already this morning, no wonder you’re hungry!” Serena said. “Which do you want first?” she asked Bernie.  
Bernie looked at her with a glint in her eye, and smirked.  
“Which of THESE do you want first I mean Bernie. Come on we’ve got to keep our strength up for all this exercise we’re having!” Serena said.  
“I’ve never tried this before, but I just thought, why don’t we slice the eggy bread into “soldiers” and we can then dip those into our eggs?” Bernie suggested.  
“You’ve never had soldiers before?!” Serena asked, amazed. Then she realised there was another meaning to what she’d just said, and she got nervous, not wanting Bernie to think she was prying into her past career. “I mean soldiers, as in strips of bread…” Serena said trailing off.  
“Ha ha it’s okay Serena I know what you meant. And yes of course I have had soldiers before, in both meanings of the word.” she said winking at Serena. “I meant I haven’t had eggy bread soldiers, before….I don’t think it would be ‘egg overload’…come on, pass me that knife” Bernie said.  
Serena passed her the knife lying at the edge of the tray, and re positioned the tray to in-between them, so Bernie could reach the plate of eggy bread better.  
Whilst Bernie did that, Serena knocked the heads of the eggs, and peeled the shell away to form what resembled a small bald-patch on a head, as the hardened white of the egg was revealed from beneath the brown shell.  
Bernie was quick to dissect the eggy bread into uniformed sized soldiers, and divide them equally between the two plates, where the soft-boiled eggs awaited their fate.  
“Hang on, don’t dive in yet” Bernie said quickly before Serena tucked in. “Can I just take a photo of this, Henrik always says ‘eggy bread shouldn’t be messed with, but just eaten as it is!’ ha ha” she said, laughing as she reached for her phone to take the picture.  
“Ohh sorry Bernie, I should have said could I take a photo of your whole masterpiece, before the eggy bread was cut up, oh…” Serena said, sad, she hadn’t thought to say.  
“Not to worry Serena, I took a photo before I brought the tray up here” Bernie said. “I hope you don’t mind….I….I posted the photo on my Instagram page, I was so excited at what I’d created I wanted to share it!” Bernie said, not sure how to read Serena’s expression.  
“Oh…did you?” Serena said. She didn’t really understand Instagram and wasn’t on it.  
“It’s okay, only my friends ‘follow’ me, it’s a private account, so ‘joe public’ can’t see my photos. It was one of my postie colleagues who got me into it. It became a sort of in joke between us to post the maddest thing we spotted when we were doing our rounds!” Bernie said. “Now I’ve got into using it, and following others, I post some things not related to my rounds too” she said, smiling to try to reassure Serena.  
“Sorry. No no it’s fine Bernie, I don’t mind. I’m honoured, and proud of you…..I’m just not very good at this marketing myself malarkey. I do a monthly email newsletter, for people who read my books, well, I guess you know that already ha ha” Serena said. Bernie nodded, as she smiled broadly. Bernie knew only too well, she’d been about the second person to subscribe to it when she’d seen it advertised!  
“I can help you set up an Instagram page for you as an author, if you’d like? You can post snippets about your day or what you’re writing, that readers like to see, without giving away personal things about you or your life” Bernie said.  
“Yes, yes, I’d like to try that, thanks Bernie.” Serena said. “In fact it would be perfect timing, since I now have some good news to share on it. All I’ve had from publishers lately are refusals to my drafts, it’s been so frustrating” Serena said.  
Bernie suddenly remembered the letter from yesterday, the one she’d delivered in the pouring rain, that to Bernie looked like it had had a publishers’ name stamped on the envelope. It had looked like there might be more inside, rather than it being a refusal. Serena had finally opened it when they were sat in the snug.  
“Oh yes Serena! That letter! What was the good news you read…before you kissed me!” Bernie said excitedly.   
“Yes I’m sorry Bernie, I got so wrapped up at having pounced on you after reading the good news, I forgot to actually share that news with you!” Serena said, amazed when she thought back, that that was less than a day ago!  
“You were right it was a letter from a publisher, they’ve made me a provisional offer of a new book deal! They’d like me to go in and have a meeting with them, so I can talk through my ideas in more detail, and see if I like their terms of agreement.” Serena said, beaming at Bernie. “So I’m glad now you didn’t see the letter til later in the day and delivered it to me by ringing my bell, because it made the news so much more glorious, it brought you into my life, and I now have you to share it with! …mmmuh..” Serena said, reciprocating a kiss Bernie planted on her lips as she finished speaking.  
“Oh Serena, that’s fabulous news, congratulations darling, oh I’m so happy for you” Bernie said. “I shouldn’t have been late delivering it, as it was such an important letter, but I am glad now I was able to deliver it to you personally. I’ve often thought about the mail I’m delivering, bringing good and bad news to people, but it’s so nice to hear personally when mail I’ve delivered brings such great happy news. Thank you, that makes me feel privileged to work for the Royal Mail.” Bernie said, smiling proudly.  
Serena looked at Bernie curiously, she wasn’t sure if Bernie was being sarcastic or not. She’d never given much thought as to whether the people that delivered the mail might actually think about what they were delivering, and feel privileged that they could be the ones to help bring the news.  
“Honestly I’m being serious Serena. I do feel proud and privileged. I love my job. Yes there are several of my colleagues who just see it as a way to pay the bills, but not me. Don’t get me wrong I love the ‘new’ internet age, but I will be very sad the day items are not sent by post. There is nothing sweeter than getting a love letter in the post…..” Bernie said wistfully. “It’s how Mabel and her husband first got together, it was so sweet” she said.  
“Ah Bernie, that’s lovely. And so are you” Serena said, kissing Bernie full on the lips again.  
Serena remembered the eggs would be getting cold, and reluctantly broke off the kiss. She smiled and passed Bernie a tea spoon off the tray to dig into her egg with.  
“Here” she said, “Let’s tuck into these before they get too cold. I wouldn’t want all your efforts going to waste. In fact, give me your phone a moment” Serena said, as Bernie looked curious. “I think you should pose with an eggy bread soldier dipped in the egg yoke, and poised about to be put in your mouth! Give Henrik something to smile about ha ha” Serena said.  
“Ha ha ha, I like your thinking Serena, hang on” Bernie said, as she passed Serena her phone, then scooped the white top off her egg, and set it to one side on her plate. She smiled pleasingly at the soft rich yellow yolk beneath, showing the eggs had been cooked just the right amount of time. She dunked an eggy bread soldier into the yolk and brought it out, hanging tantalisingly between the top of the egg and her open mouth.  
“Cheese” said Serena, “Or rather ‘egg’ ha ha” she said. Bernie didn’t need to say anything she was smiling so broadly, and had a rather devilish look about her Serena thought, not for the first time that day.   
Serena suspected, and hoped, that maybe Bernie was someone who liked to mix food and fun. Certainly those ice cubes…..okay that was water, but they had given food for thought for the both of them, Serena mused, and then laughed to herself about the oddness of the English language given the meaning of the phrase ‘food for thought’ was nothing to do with food or water!  
Serena took the photo and then put Bernie’s phone down on the duvet.  
“Open wide” Bernie said, leaning over to Serena, who instinctively opened her mouth, on seeing this moist offering being proffered towards her.  
“Oh” Serena said, surprised at Bernie’s swiftness. “Mm oh this is gorgeous Bernie, thank you. You are clever” Serena said as she chewed, enjoying the taste of the eggy bread and the egg yolk together.  
“Oh hang on, sorry you’ve got some yolk on your chin” Bernie said. Serena moved her hand to wipe it, but before she could, Bernie leant in and flicked her tongue up Serena’s chin. Bernie was beaming at Serena, and laughed slightly.  
“Was there really yolk on my chin Bernie?” Serena asked curiously.  
“Maybe….maybe not ha ha” Bernie said, still chuckling. “I was just getting some practise in” Bernie said mischievously.  
“Practise for what exactly?” Serena asked, raising her eyebrows, and hoping.  
“Practise for when we exercise some more later on darling” Bernie said.  
“Ohhh my. Is it hot in here or is it me?” Serena asked.  
Bernie drew her forefinger down Serena’s spine again. She paused tantalisingly at the top of her naked bottom. “Mm yes you are hot Serena, very hot” Bernie said smirking.  
Serena gasped. “Oh oh mmm god so are you Bernie, you tease.”  
Serena dipped one of her share of soldiers into her rich yolk and the offered it to Bernie, who was pleased Serena seemed to think in a similar way to herself about food and fun!   
Bernie accepted the offering and enjoyed it. She was pleased she had discovered a new way to eat eggy bread, even though it was delicious on its own. They continued to eat their eggs this way, feeding each other mouthfuls of eggy eggy bread. Usually they would have both eaten all the white in the eggs too, but they were starting to feel full with the bread so left the brown shells with their white cushioned linings.  
As if reading her mind Serena reached for Bernie’s phone and took a picture of their clean plates, getting Bernie to hold the egg shells with her thumbs poised as though stroking the drawn-on nipples. “There now you can put that one, and the one we took earlier on your Instagram page. That’ll give Henrik a laugh I expect. Ha ha” Serena said, smiling.  
There were a few soldiers of eggy bread left, but Bernie said she couldn’t eat anymore, though she had loved it.   
“I have an idea….” Serena said, mischievously.   
Serena moved the lap tray back onto her own lap, and pulled her duvet back on Bernie’s side. Bernie looked at her curiously. Serena smiled.  
“Would madam like to have a lie down now? You must be so tired.” Serena asked.   
Bernie smiled back. “Would madam like me on my front or my back?” she asked.  
“Ha ha ha huhume” Serena laughed and then cleared her throat.  
“I’d like you every which way Bernie! But for now” Serena said, and winked. “Could you lie on your front please madam?”  
Bernie rolled over and propped herself up on her forearms on the pillow. She lay her head to the left to face Serena.  
Serena beamed at her. She carefully placed the remaining eggy-bread soldiers in a line down Bernie’s spine, drawing her finger down the small gap she left between each, causing Bernie’s breath to hitch at her touch. Serena worked her way down, leaving the last one on Bernie’s coccyx.   
Serena then lifted the tray onto the floor her side of the bed. She pushed the duvet back her side and off the end of her bed completely. She had never done anything like this before with anyone, in fact she had never dreamt of doing anything like this before, this idea had just popped into her head while they’d been feeding each other, as seductively as they could muster.  
Bernie had played with food during foreplay before, but she laughed to herself, she had to admit she had never done it with eggy-bread before! But Bernie felt so at ease, and was enjoying herself.  
She felt Serena move to the end of the bed, and draw herself up Bernie’s legs, her ample bosom trailing the surface of her skin, her erect nipples gently bumping their way up to her thighs. Instinctively Bernie opened her legs wider, Serena smirked, pleased she was having an effect on her.  
Tantalisingly Serena left her left breast hanging, her nipple nudging at Bernie’s knicker-clad crotch.  
Serena felt Bernie twitch slightly. So Serena teasingly pushed her erect nipple harder against Bernie’s crotch. Bernie’s right hand appeared at her side as she tried to tug her knickers off, but Serena gently stopped her. Bernie let out a little whimper, in defeat. Serena lifted herself up removing her nipples from Bernie’s crotch. She reached up to either side of Bernie’s waist and slowly peeled her knickers down over her cheeks, pausing briefly to rub her crotch from the outside of her knicker gusset. “Ohh ohhh” Bernie groaned, and then whimpered again when Serena’s hands moved away from her crotch, to slide her knickers down her legs and off.  
Once she was free of them, Bernie opened her legs wide. Serena could see her crotch glistening as Bernie was getting aroused. Serena positioned herself knelt between Bernie’s legs.  
First she licked a line around the ‘soldier’ on Bernie’s coccyx. Then she moved around it again this time peppering Bernie’s skin with short flicking licks, and then she did a third lap moving around it giving Bernie’s skin little kisses. Then while Bernie savoured those touches, Serena flicked the ‘soldier’ with the end of her tongue, up into her mouth to eat it.  
Serena repeated this routine all the way up Bernie’s back, until all the ‘soldiers’ were eaten, and Bernie was so turned on she thought she would burst if Serena didn’t give her a hard rub very soon.   
Serena was also getting very turned on, as her nipples couldn’t hide, they were rock hard and erect, like small bullets waiting to be discharged. But she was also feeling rather full from all the eggy-bread and just needed to sit up a minute and let it all go down properly.  
“Sorry to do this to you again Bernie when I can see you are so near the edge. Me too, my nipples could knock someone’s eye out at this point in time!” Serena said, “but I think I’ve eaten too much eggy-bread” she said, sadly. “I just need to sit up a moment” she said.  
Bernie groaned, then rolled over and sat herself up in the bed. “Sorry Serena its okay, I understand. I forgot how filling eggy-bread can be. I should have just made one slice…….but ohhh…you owe me big time okay!!” she said, and then laughed.  
“Oh I will make it up to you, I promise you darling. I promise.” Serena said, as she leant over to Bernie and planted a big kiss on her lips.   
She wondered if she would have the courage to plant a big kiss on Bernie’s other lips later on.   
Certainly those licks she’d done up her back, had been her way of practising her licking technique for later. Bernie had enjoyed them along her spine, so hopefully she would enjoy them on all her other erogenous body zones too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you don't know what eggy-bread is, apart from being delicious, it has other names such as French toast, here's a recipe: https://www.rivercottage.net/recipes/eggy-bread


End file.
